Mediawan makes two key hires under new distribution boss Sally Habbershaw 

French media group Mediawan has moved quickly under newly appointed distribution head Sally Habbershaw, with veteran sales execs Dan Selig and Glen Hansen joining to oversee the Americas and Asia Pacific (APAC) respectively.

Sally Habbershaw

New York-based Selig, who was most recently the senior VP of content sales at Boat Rocker, has been appointed senior VP of distribution, Americas. The exec also previously held a senior sales role at Fifth Season and prior to that spent 16 years with HBO, climbing to senior VP of international distribution.

Hansen, who is based in LA, has been named senior VP of distribution, APAC. He was previously the senior VP and head of sales for APAC at A+E Global Networks, where he spent more than a decade, and before that was senior VP of sales, acquisitions and business development, North America at Zodiak Rights.

Both new appointments will be focused on premium content partnerships, format sales, and regional coproductions, said Mediawan.

The appointments come on the heels of the major pre-Mipcom announcement that Mediawan is relocating the leadership of its distribution operation from France and Germany to London.

The Paris-headquartered company also revealed that Habbershaw, who left her role as executive VP of All3Media International Americas in August, had been tapped to lead Mediawan’s distribution division as chief distribution officer, with Habbershaw’s appointment, Mediawan Rights CEO Valérie Vleeschhouwer, stepping down.

The change in strategic direction is geared towards expanding its English-language content pipeline. Habbershaw is being supported by the distribution teams in France and Germany, as well as the new appointments.

“[Selig and Hansen’s] extensive experience in sales and strategic partnerships will play a pivotal role in expanding our footprint across the Americas and APAC. They bring outstanding reputations, exceptional editorial acumen, strong negotiating chops and an infectious passion for the industry,” said Habbershaw.