NBCUI revamps channels operations

NBCUniversal International (NBCUI) has appointed one of its existing execs to oversee its European and MENA channels operations, with the company’s MD of networks in Southern Europe set to depart as a result.

Lee Raftery

Lee Raftery will take up the newly created position of MD for Europe, Middle East and Africa networks (excluding the UK, Germany and Italy) from July 1, based in London and reporting to Kevin MacLellan, chairman of global distribution and international at parent NBCUniversal (NBCU).

Raftery will lead a consolidated EMEA networks business – which will become a single operation, rather than three regional European groups – incorporating pay TV channels across the territory.

He will be supported by a management team located in London, Paris and Madrid, overseeing 17 channel feeds across NBCU’s portfolio of seven brands, with the changes coming after NBCU parent Comcast acquired Sky last year.

As a result of the changes, NBCU’s EMEA business under Raftery’s leadership will relocate to Sky’s Osterley campus in the UK, “in order to maximise collaboration with the Sky channels business,” NBCUI said.

In addition to his new remit, Raftery, who has previously held roles including MD of UK and emerging markets at NBCUI, will remain chief marketing officer at the company.

His remit will not include the aforementioned Sky territories of the UK, Germany and Italy, where NBCU’s pay TV channels will operate under the Sky portfolio as part of far-reaching plans first revealed by C21 in April.

Kevin MacLellan

As a result of the EMEA realignment, Leonor Grandsire, NBCUI’s MD of networks for Southern Europe, will leave the business towards the end this year. Grandsire has been in the position for five years and will work with Raftery and the NBCU French/Iberian networks teams during the transition. Details of changes to those divisions have not yet been confirmed.

MacLellan said: “With our newly aligned EMEA networks business, we are strongly positioned in a rapidly evolving pay TV landscape to optimise our expertise, efficiencies and opportunities for future growth.”

Raftery added: “I believe that combining our EMEA networks will maximise the growth potential of our channels and brands for years ahead.

“The power of these great platforms, expertly overseen by a talented team across multiple locations, will continue to deliver the best quality, value and entertainment for our audiences.”

In April, C21 revealed that NBCUI was making a raft of changes following Comcast’s acquisition of Sky, including closing parts of distributor-producer Sky Vision and restructuring its channels operations.

Sky Vision’s sales operations are being folded into NBCUniversal Global Distribution, with the UK company’s MD Jane Millichip overseeing Sky Vision production entities including Bake Off firm Love Productions.

Meanwhile, NBCUI’s UK pay TV networks, including Syfy, E! and Universal TV, will be moved into Sky’s pay TV headquarters at Osterley in the UK. Sky Deutschland will become parent of NBCU’s networks in Germany, which may move into its Unterföhring offices.