Endemol Netherlands finds new MD

Endemol has gone in-house to appoint its new Dutch MD after Peter Adrichem stepped down.

Laurens Drillich

Current Endemol Netherlands Media Group (ENMG) creative director Laurens Drillich will replace Adrichem as MD when the latter leaves the country’s largest producer on July 31.

The move hands Drillich overall responsibility for prodcos such as Endemol Netherlands, SNP Media, 625 TV Production, TVBV, HaagseBluf and S&V Fiction.

Endemol’s MD for international operations Martha Brass said Drillich – a former BNN, Veronica, RTL and Endemol Latino executive – had the “perfect profile” to expand the company’s activities in its native Netherlands.

“He has vision and ambition and combines creative talent with business instinct. Furthermore, he knows our company inside out and has extensive experience both in broadcasting and production,” she added.

Adrichem had taken the decision to stand down and was leaving by mutual consent, Endemol said. There was no word on his next move. He has been MD since February 2009 after taking over a role left vacant by Paul Römer’s promotion to group chief creative officer.

“When I started, the board of directors and I agreed that I would stay for three years. The main goals were to renew the organisation, to merge the Dutch Endemol companies and to increase competitiveness. This was an intensive process, which has made us a stronger company,” he said.

ENMG was now in “very good shape,” he added. “Now that the company is moving to the next phase, it feels like the right time for me to move on.”

Drillich said ENMG was now “future-proof,” while Endemol chief financial officer Just Spee thanked Adrichem for “modernising” the Dutch business.

Endemol remains in the final stages of implementing its debt restructure, with an agreement struck in principle with a majority of investors in February remaining intact.

The finalised agreement would bring down Endemol’s debt from €2.8bn (US$3.7m) to about €500m, which the producer-distributor says would put it on a “strong financial footing.”

Only part-owner Mediaset and lender Barclays are understood to have opposed the deal, as previously reported.