Banijay names Zodiak Kids CEO

Banijay Group has appointed one of the founders of now defunct French children’s production outfit Moonscoop Group as CEO of its Zodiak Kids division.

Benoit di Sabatino

Benoit di Sabatino’s global remit will see him lead Banijay’s kids’ productions, consumer products, digital content and TV sales. He will oversee titles including Mister Maker, LoliRock, Totally Spies! and Floogals among numerous others.

He replaces Jean-Philippe Randisi, who stepped down in August. His next move is not yet known.

Di Sabatino previously founded and ran Moonscoop, which went into administration in 2013 and was subsequently split up, with Moonscoop France being bought by producer Dargaud Media in 2014.

Marco Bassetti, CEO at Banijay Group, said Di Sabatino’s “wealth of knowledge in the kids’ business” made him a “perfect fit” for the role.

“Having worked across thousands of hours of programming in this genre, he will be a great addition to the team and is sure to take Zodiak Kids to new heights,” he added.

Di Sabatino said: “Banijay is an ambitious group committed to strengthening the presence of Zodiak Kids in the global marketplace. The business already has an incredibly strong catalogue of high-quality brands and I’m looking forward to exploring new areas to bring the business further growth.

“With a vast pool of new ideas, a team of talented individuals and an ever-growing market around us, it is an exciting time to be taking on this new role and building Zodiak Kids as a flagship brand.”

Zodiak Kids, which became part of Banijay following the takeover in 2016, includes a production arm, Zodiak Kids Studios, and has offices in Paris and London.