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Ellender aims Slingshot at US

David Ellender, former CEO of FremantleMedia International, is relocating to the US to launch an independent TV prodco specialising in drama and comedy.

David Ellender

Slingshot Global Media will develop and produce content for the US multi-platform market and identify projects for international co-financing, coproduction and pre-sale.

The LA-based company has been formed in partnership with TPG Growth, the middle market and growth equity investment arm of Texas Pacific Group, which will finance the venture.

The move marks the beginning of a new career path for London-based Ellender, who left FremantleMedia International last August following a restructure at the RTL Group-owned company.

As Slingshot’s CEO, Ellender will oversee the development, financing, production and distribution of scripted TV content.

He told C21: “There is a global opportunity for the creation and distribution of drama content, particularly here in the US, from OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon right the way through to premium pay, traditional networks and basic cable.

“There is a niche in the market for a company like Slingshot that is a little bit more nimble, flexible and adaptable and that can move quicker than the bigger entities.”

Ellender explained that the aptly titled company derived its name from the David and Goliath story, with his new firm representing the young warrior taking on the global giants such as Endemol and his former employer FremantleMedia.

The industry veteran revealed he had turned down job opportunities at bigger, more established companies for the chance to set up his own firm, an opportunity that gave him a “clean sheet of paper” to work with.

“I could have jumped at a very similar role at another company; I was very fortuitous and had a number of opportunities,” he added. “But there was an opportunity here to create something I believed in and that will work for the future.”

Ellender is now looking to recruit heads of creative, legal and business affairs, and sales in time for a soft launch at MipTV in April. “We will probably look at a more formal launch at Mipcom in October,” he added.

He also wants to build bridges between content creators in the UK and Hollywood, working with British talent as well as taking ideas stateside.

Ellender joined FremantleMedia in 2001. He was CEO of FremantleMedia Enterprises, the global sales and rights exploitation arm of the company, from 2006 until the division was rebranded FremantleMedia International last year.

That reorganisation was instigated by FremantleMedia CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz, who took over from Tony Cohen in 2012.

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