NENT names CEO for studios operation

Nordic Entertainment (NENT) Group has appointed a new CEO for its refocused Studios operations as part of its latest senior management rejig.

Alexander Bastin

Alexander Bastin has been named senior VP and CEO of NENT Studios, effective from September 1.

Morten Mogensen has been made senior VP and head of the NENT Studios businesses that are currently being sold.

Bastin and Mogensen will be part of NENT Group’s extended group executive management team, together with Kim Mikkelsen, senior VP and head of sport; My Perrone, senior VP and general counsel; and Roberta Alenius, senior VP and head of corporate communications.

Bastin joined NENT Group in 2013 to work in the group’s content production businesses and has subsequently held various leadership positions in the group’s advertising- and subscription-funded streaming businesses, most recently as Viaplay chief commercial officer and then VP of NENT Group’s SVoD operations.

Mogensen originally joined NENT in 2005 and has held various senior programming and content production roles, most recently as senior VP and head of NENT Studios Nordics and Central and Eastern Europe.

NENT Group previously announced that it is reorganising its Studios businesses to focus on the growth of its Viaplay streaming service and demand for drama.

The newly focused scripted production business will comprise NENT Studios Nordics (Brain Academy, Nice Drama and EPIQ), NENT Studios Animation, NENT Studios Central & Eastern Europe (Paprika), NENT Studios UK, the UK-based joint venture with FilmNation Entertainment and NENT Group’s investment in Los Angeles-based Picturestart.

The organisation will be focused on developing a comprehensive slate of new formats for Viaplay and selling existing ones internationally.

NENT Group is also in the process of divesting its non-scripted production, branded entertainment and events companies, which primarily work with external clients and says it has received encouraging levels of interest from potential buyers.

Anders Jensen, NENT Group’s president and CEO, said: “Alexander’s background in content creation and in-depth understanding of our streaming operations make him the perfect candidate for the new leadership role. He will work closely with our content function and external partners to ensure that we deliver a stream of high-quality drama series, films and documentaries on Viaplay.

“Meanwhile, Morten will have full focus on completing the divestment of the other parts of NENT Studios, which are attractive and successful businesses but have very limited synergy with our streaming strategy and ambitions. We have already received encouraging levels of interest in these companies.”