Paramount, ViacomCBS alum Katie Pike to head sales at Belgium’s Primitives

Former Paramount executive Katie Pike has been appointed director of sales and acquisitions at Belgian formats distributor Primitives (99 to Beat).

Katie Pike

Starting on February 1, she will represent the company’s titles in the US, Canada, Latin America, Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Middle East, Turkey and Asia.

Pike joins from Paramount Global Content Distribution, where she served as director of European formats for just over four years.

Her CV also includes stints as manager of European formats for ViacomCBS, formats coordinator for CBS International and sales administrator for CBS International Television Distribution.

Over the course of her career, Pike has represented much-travelled unscripted franchises such as Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Hollywood Squares, Carpool Karaoke, Next Top Model and Ex on the Beach.

Her appointment follows December’s announcement that Simone de Pruyssenaere de la Woestyne has taken over from Jan Huyse as MD of Primitives. The company represents formats such as The Mole, The Ultimate Celebrity Car Park Showdown and 99 to Beat, which has been acquired by broadcasters including Fox in the US and Atresmedia in Spain.

De Pruyssenaere de la Woestyne said: “Katie’s experience and perspective will be invaluable. She comes to us with an outstanding track record, along with a sharp business mindset and a collaborative approach that fits perfectly with our culture.”

Pike said: “Simone and the team are doing incredibly well in an exceptionally challenging market, and there’s a real sense of momentum and ambition around the company.

“For me, joining Primitives feels like the next logical step in my career. After a deeply rewarding 14 years at Paramount/CBS working on some of the most successful formats of the past, I’m looking forward to bringing my knowledge and experience to a company that looks to redefine the formats industry of the future.”