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MTG unveils Nordic Entertainment team

Scandinavian media outfit Modern Times Group (MTG) has named the management team for its Nordic Entertainment Group (NEG) ahead of the division’s split from the rest of the firm.

Jakob Mejlhede Andersen

MTG started the process of splitting into Modern Times Group MTG and NEG last month, with the latter’s shares being distributed to MTG’s shareholders via Nasdaq Stockholm.

NEG will comprise MTG’s current Nordic Entertainment and MTG Studios business segments, as well as multichannel network Splay, while Modern Time Group MTG will focus on eSports.

Anders Jensen, previously MTG’s executive VP and CEO of Nordic Entertainment, was appointed president and CEO of NEG in March and is now being joined by senior staff, who will report to him from July 1.

Kim Poder, CEO of MTG Denmark, will become exec VP, group chief commercial officer and CEO for Denmark at NEG. Poder’s remit includes driving NEG’s commercial strategy and execution.

Jakob Mejlhede Anderson, MTG’s exec VP and head of programming and content development, becomes exec VP and group head of content, while Morten Aass, CEO of MTG Norway, takes the role of senior VP and CEO in Norway.

Mathias Norrback, CEO of Viasat Finland, will become senior VP and CEO in Finland, while Morten Mogensen will continue in his current role of CEO of Nice Entertainment Group.

Alexander Bastin will also remain MTG’s senior VP and head of Viaplay and Viafree.

Other changes include the appointment of MTG’s chief strategy officer Gabriel Catrina as exec VP, group chief strategy officer and head of M&A, while Susan Gustafsson retains her role as group general counsel.

Kaj af Kleen has been named senior VP, group chief technology and product officer, responsible for driving product, design, data and technology across all platforms. Kleen is currently MTG’s senior VP and head of technology for Viaplay and Viafree.

Kim Mikkelsen, MTG Denmark’s sport chief, becomes senior VP and group head of sport, while Peter Nørrelund, currently MTG’s exec VP and CEO of MTG Sport, will be an advisor to Jensen, focusing on the company’s sports rights portfolio.

Finally, MTG’s corporate communications boss Matthew Hooper becomes exec VP, group head of corporate affairs and Jennie Jacobs, MTG’s UK human resources chief, becomes senior VP, group and UK head of human resources.

Filippa Wallestam, MTG’s senior VP and CEO of Sweden, has already been appointed to the same role at NEG, while a chief financial officer (CFO) is being sought.

NEG includes MTG’s broadcasting, streaming and distribution operations in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, spanning free and pay TV. It houses the TV3, TV6, TV8 and TV10 channel brands, Viasat satellite TV platform, Viaplay digital streaming services, Nice Entertainment production operation and UK-based distributor DRG.

Nice is one of Europe’s biggest producers, with a portfolio that includes Monster, One Big Happy Family, Playroom, Rakett and Novemberfilm in Norway, as well as Strix in Scandinavia and the Netherlands, Paprika Latino in Eastern Europe and Redaktörerna in Sweden.

Modern Times Group MTG will consist of MTG’s eSports, online gaming and digital video content operations, as well as other minority holdings. Jørgen Madsen Lindemann will continue as MTG president and CEO and Maria Redin will continue as MTG’s CFO.

MTG has been offloading its traditional TV operations over recent years, selling its linear networks and investing in eSports and digital companies.

A deal to combine MTG’s Nordic Entertainment and MTG Studios businesses with Danish telecoms firm TDC Group fell through earlier this year.

It is understood further management changes and the structure of teams could occur ahead of the split in July, but there are no plans to cut the overall headcount and no MTG executives are leaving their positions as a result of today’s changes.

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