Newen hires Connell from NBCU

Leona Connell has been appointed exec VP of distribution at Newen Connect, the newly formed partnership between Newen Distribution, TF1 Studio and Reel One Entertainment.

Leona Connell

Connell will lead the fiction and non-fiction sales team in France and internationally and will support all producers to enhance their financial plans and develop coproduction partnerships and pre-sales.

Operating from London and Paris, Connell will report to Rodolphe Buet, chief distribution officer at Newen.

Having begun her career with ITEL prior to its acquisition by UK commercial broadcaster ITV, Connell joined IMG, a leading US media and sports group, in 2004, working in the sales and acquisitions department.

In 2010, she became director of sales and acquisitions at Parthenon Entertainment, which was later acquired by satcaster Sky and moulded into Sky Vision, where she became director of global sales.

Connell has been senior VP of sales at NBCUniversal since October 2019, when NBCU parent Comncast took over Sky and merged its distribution activities.

Newen Connect was founded earlier this year.