Matchbox’s Matt Vitins takes over from Peter Anderson as MD of Aussie prodco Northern Pictures
Matt Vitins (left) and Peter Anderson
Australian production company Northern Pictures has appointed NBCUniversal-owned Matchbox Pictures’ chief operating officer (COO) Matt Vitins as MD and exec producer, replacing Peter Anderson who is stepping down after seven years.
Vitins has worked at Matchbox for nearly 10 years and will take up his new role at Northern Pictures on April 28. Anderson will remain at the company in a part-time advisory capacity.
“Leading Northern Pictures has been an extraordinary journey,” Anderson said. “I am incredibly proud of the team and everything we’ve accomplished together. With Matt taking the helm, I know the company is in the best possible hands for its next phase of growth.”
Northern Pictures is behind recent global successes that include format Love on the Spectrum, comedy series Austin and true crime series The Jury.
The production house is part of the media investment firm Racat Group, which also owns and operates Australian Geographic, Junkee Media and New Zealand game developer and publisher, Runaway.
David Haslingden, chair of Racat Group, said: “Peter has been the driving force behind Northern Pictures’ success, and we are thrilled that he will continue to provide his invaluable expertise in an advisory role. Matt is a dynamic leader with a proven track record in the industry and we are excited for him to build on our strong foundation and lead Northern Pictures into the future.”
A lawyer by profession, Vitins joined Matchbox in 2015 in the business affairs department before becoming COO in 2018. He has also been a key executive at Matchbox co-founder Tony Ayres’s production company TAP since 2016, serving as exec producer on ABC-commissioned drama series Stateless, TVNZ’s comedy Creamerie and upcoming Netflix drama The Survivors.
