Fremantle appoints Sascha Schwingel CEO of UFA, Hofmann to become chair

European production and distribution group Fremantle has appointed Sascha Schwingel as CEO of its German prodco UFA.

Sascha Schwingel (photo: Boris Breuer)

Based in Berlin and reporting to group COO and CEO of continental Europe Andrea Scrosati, Schwingel will join Fremantle’s global leadership team and begins his post with immediate effect.

Schwingel succeeds Nico Hofmann, who now becomes chairman of the company. Hofmann has been CEO of UFA since 2017 and has had a long career within the Group beginning in 1998 when he set up teamWorx (now UFA Fiction). His credits include an International Emmy for Generation War and Deutschland83.

Schwingel will now have oversight and strategic direction of all aspects of the business including production output of its four main divisions: UFA Fiction, UFA Serial Drama, UFA Show and Factual and UFA Documentary.

Nico Hofmann

He was most recently deputy chief content officer of RTL Deutschland. Prior to this role, he was CEO of the RTL Group-owned TV channel VOX Television from 2019 to 2022.

Schwingel started his career at teamWorx (now UFA Fiction) and was a producer of programmes including historical two-part event series Die Sturmflut, Dresden and Die Hindenburg. In 2014 he moved to pubcaster ARD Degeto, where as head of production and programme management he was also responsible for shows including Babylon Berlin and The Barschel Case.

Hofmann said: “After 26 years with Bertelsmann and eight years at the helm of UFA I have decided, together with Jennifer Mullin and Andrea Scrosati, to pass on the leadership of UFA. In Sascha, who is a friend and colleague for many years, we have found an experienced and highly talented successor.”