Lachkar out as ESG sets up in France

Endemol Shine Group (ESG) has unveiled plans to integrate its local businesses in France, with one of its leading execs in the country leaving as a result.

Nicolas Coppermann

France had been the only territory where Endemol and Shine had continued to operate separately following the merger between the production giants and Core Media in 2014.

That will change with the launch of Endemol Shine France from 2017, with Nicolas Coppermann, previously Endemol France president, heading up the group.

It means Shine France president Thierry Lachkar will step down after Endemol Shine France has been launched. His departure expected in early 2017.

ESG chief Sophie Turner Laing said combining the Shine and Endemol teams in France “will create a local powerhouse that is best positioned to deliver channel-defining content to our customers and leverage future opportunities in the fast-changing marketplace.”

Coppermann added the changes would “unite creative, production and entrepreneurial talent who together have delivered some of the biggest hits to come out of the French market. Bringing us together will broaden our collective reach in the marketplace and further enhance our ability to bring the best ideas to life across different platforms and genres.”

Lachkar said he had been in talks with the company about the future of Shine France “for some time now” and that, after exploring his options, had decided to step down.

The changes come after ITV Studios France signed an exclusive production agreement with Talpa Media, the Dutch production company that ITV bought for US$531.7m last year.

ITVS France now has exclusive rights to produce all of Talpa’s new shows in the region, a deal previously held by Shine France.

The integration and launch of Endemol Shine France is expected early next year but is subject to approval by relevant merger control authorities.