Garvie takes Formats Gold

Wayne Garvie, president of international production at Sony Pictures Television (SPT), is to receive the 2020 International Formats Gold Award and will keynote at MipFormats next month.

Wayne Garvie

Garvie oversees SPT’s global network of production companies outside the US, covering Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia.

The 21 wholly owned or joint-venture production companies within the business deliver both original and formatted content for local broadcasters in their markets, and create nearly 1,500 hours of entertainment around the world each year.

He is also responsible for driving creative development within international production, steering the business to develop locally created properties into global formats and fostering co-developments across the group.

Garvie joined SPT in June 2012 from All3Media, where he was MD, international production, with special responsibility for the company’s growth in the US.

Previously he was MD for content and production at BBC Worldwide, responsible for establishing the corporation’s global network of production companies and overseeing its international formats business.

Prior to that role, he was head of the entertainment group for the BBC, where his teams were behind shows like Strictly Come Dancing and Dragons’ Den. Garvie also held senior positions in UK broadcasting, including director of broadcasting for Granada.

Garvie said: “This is obviously a special honour for me – although it’s more a tribute to the many brilliant people I have been lucky to work with over the years. Formats remain a crucial part of the international television business and I look forward to celebrating both past and future success at MipFormats.”.

The award is given annually by C21, FRAPA, EMC and MipFormats to executives who have made an outstanding contribution to the formats business.

Previous recipients are:

2019: Peter Fincham, Expectation Entertainment
2018: Alex Mahon, Channel 4
2017: Paul Gilbert, CBS Studios International
2016: Gary Carter, KLOK
2015: Annie Wegelius, former SVT programming chief
2014: Mark Itkin, William Morris Endeavor
2013: Stephen Lambert, Studio Lambert/All3Media
2012: David Lyle, Fox Reality
2011: Dick de Rijk, creator of gameshow hit Deal or No Deal
2010: Reg Grundy, former CEO of Grundy Television
2009: Peter Bazalgette, former creative director of Endemol Group
2008: Stephen Leahy and Trish Kinane, Ludus Entertainment
2007: Merv Griffin, creator of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy

MipFormats takes place from Saturday March 28 to Sunday March 29. The award will be presented at a Gala Dinner at ClubC21 on Saturday night, followed by a keynote presentation on Sunday at MipFormats.