Cineflix restructures for UK, US growth

Cineflix Productions CEO Simon Lloyd is quitting as Cineflix Media prepares to scale back its Canadian activities and focus more on the US and UK.

Lloyd is stepping down after eight years with the firm to set up his own production company in partnership with Cineflix Productions’ executive VP of programming Joe Houlihan. Both will stay on until the end of the year.

The news comes amidst a raft of promotions and reorganisation at Cineflix Media. The producer and distributor said it is restructuring its unscripted operations to capitalise on growth in the US and UK markets, and to reduce overheads.

Cineflix Media co-founder and co-CEO Glen Salzman will now oversee production financing and business development, while his fellow co-founder and co-CEO Katherine Buck will lead strategic planning as well as executive and creative team management. Andrew Akman, appointed to the newly created job of chief operating officer in April, will continue to oversee operations.

Jodi Flynn, who joined a year ago as executive VP of programming, will now be head of unscripted development and programming for the US and Canada with fellow executive VP of programming Charles Tremayne overseeing all unscripted production in the region.

Lisa Levenson, executive VP of Cineflix Productions, will continue to develop and produce unscripted programming in LA. Production activities will be shared between LA, New York and Toronto.

Production of the company’s current slate of more than 20 series for US networks, including American Pickers for History, Mayday for Discovery in Canada and Nat Geo and Property Brothers for HGTV, will be split between the three centres.

UK unscripted development and production will be led by creative director Rob Carey and MD Camilla Lewis, who have grown the business with ratings hits such as Trauma Doctors and Salvage Hunters and are currently working on new commissions like All Aboard: East Coast Trains for Sky.

Chris Bonney, CEO of Cineflix Rights, will continue to oversee the international exploitation of the firm’s IP.

The firm is not looking to fill the head of documentaries spot vacated by Nick Godwin earlier this year, after he left to set up a joint venture with Argonon, which is also working with former Cineflix Rights MD Paul Heaney.