Mediawan relocates distribution leadership to London under Sally Habbershaw
European production group Mediawan is relocating the leadership of its distribution arm from France and Germany to London and has appointed All3Media International alum Sally Habbershaw as chief distribution officer.
Habbershaw left All3Media International Americas in New York, where she was exec VP, in August to relocate to the UK. Her next move has now been revealed as a new gig leading Mediawan Distribution from London.
Valérie Vleeschhouwer, CEO of Mediawan Rights, will work alongside Habbershaw during a transition period ahead of her departure from the group. Habbershaw will then report to Elisabeth d’Arvieu, CEO of Mediawan Pictures.
Vleeschhouwer has played a key role in the group’s growth since 2017, particularly the integration of Lagardère Studios’ distribution activities in 2020 and Leonine Studios in 2024, following a 20-year tenure as deputy MD at AB Group.
“As we open a new chapter in Mediawan’s international expansion by relocating our distribution leadership to London, I am thrilled to welcome Sally Habbershaw to the group,” said Pierre-Antoine Capton, chairman and co-founder of Mediawan Group.
“Her expertise and vision will be essential through this new phase of Mediawan’s global development. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Valérie Vleeschhouwer, whose exceptional leadership and dedication have been instrumental since the very first day at Mediawan.”
In her newly created role, Habbershaw will lead Mediawan’s international sales activities and be responsible for the group’s global content sales and acquisitions strategy.
She will oversee worldwide distribution, formats, scripted and unscripted sales across all of Mediawan’s 80 production companies operating in 14 countries, including Plan B Entertainment (US/UK), See-Saw Films (UK/Australia), Drama Republic and Misfits (UK), Palomar and Our Films (Italy), Leonine Studios (Germany), Boomerang and Good Mood (Spain), Submarine (Netherlands/US) and Chapter 2 and Chi-Fou-Mi (France).
Habbershaw will be supported by Mediawan’s sales teams based in France and Germany, with further key appointments to be announced soon.
Mediawan has a catalogue of over 30,000 hours of programming across all genres, including The Count of Monte Cristo, Zorro, Miraculous Ladybug and Kabul, as well as forthcoming dramas Riot Women, created by Sally Wainwright, and Hugo Blick’s California Avenue, both from Drama Republic and set to be showcased at Mipcom.
Mediawan produces more than 400 titles each year, including Netflix’s Adolescence (Plan B), Apple TV+’s Slow Horses (See-Saw Films) and Call My Agent!.
Prior to All3Media, Habbershaw worked in programming at NBC Europe and was head of programming at Comedy Central in London before becoming VP and general manager of VH1 UK.
In 2004, she moved to New York to become director of development at VH1, before moving to Gawker Median and then to AMC Networks as VP of global acquisitions and scheduling.
