BBC Studios Nordic Production appoints heads of development, production

BBC Studios Nordic Production has strengthened its Swedish leadership team by hiring Simon Romanus as head of development and Lotta Bäcker as head of production.

Simon Romanus

Romanus will focus on unscripted content and will be responsible for BBC Studios’ global formats for the Swedish market, while also developing original programming with international potential.

He has previously worked as a producer at Swedish pubcaster SVT and as CEO of Friday TV within the Endemol Shine Group, and has also worked on virtual reality projects in both Sweden and the US, most notably as founder and CEO of Wonderworld.

Bäcker, meanwhile, will oversee budgeting and HR. She has previously served as lead producer at Mojang and head of production at Jarowskij.

Both hires will form the executive leadership team guiding BBC Studios’ Swedish operations alongside head of drama production Mikael Hansson and MD Peter Nyrén.

Lotta Bäcker

BBC Studios Nordic Production has been active in Sweden for several years, producing youth-skewing dramas such as Klassen and Västra Gymnasiet. Last year, the company opened a Stockholm office dedicated to developing entertainment, reality and factual content for local broadcasters and streaming platforms. Its first offerings, Sveriges Dummaste (Nation’s Dumbest) and Kalla kårar (Uncanny), are both due to premiere on TV4 soon, with production underway on Demenskören (Our Dementia Choir) for SVT.

Nyrén said: “Simon and Lotta’s extensive experience and proven track records will be invaluable as we continue to grow our presence and output in the Swedish market.

“Simon’s expertise in unscripted development will be crucial in bringing our global formats to Sweden and in fostering new ideas with international appeal. Lotta’s leadership in production will ensure our projects are delivered to the highest standards.”