Pedersen exiting All3Media Int’l following Banijay merger, Payne to lead distribution

Louise Pedersen is exiting her role as CEO of All3Media International after the distributor’s parent company All3Media completed its merger with Banijay Entertainment earlier this week.

Louise Pedersen

Cathy Payne, who was previously the chief executive at Banijay Rights, is set to lead the combined distribution entity, which boasts a library of more than 250,000 hours, as CEO.

A spokesperson for Banijay said the newly merged distribution entity will retain the Banijay Rights brand name, though did not provide additional details on other potential changes coming to the sales arm.

“Given the integration can only begin now, it is too early to comment any further on the organisation of the distribution business or its team,” said the spokesperson.

News of Pedersen’s exit, first reported by Deadline, comes after Banijay Group and All3Media owner RedBird IMI closed their deal to merge Banijay Entertainment and All3Media to form an entertainment giant worth US$8bn.

Cathy Payne

The merged business will be headquartered in London, with RedBird IMI CEO Jeff Zucker serving as chairman, Banijay’s Marco Bassetti as CEO and All3Media’s Jane Turton as deputy CEO

Pedersen has led All3Media International for the better part of two decades. She joined the company in 2004 and, after leaving for an 18-month stint as MD at Playground UK from 2015, returned as CEO in 2016.

Turton praised Pedersen’s “great creative and commercial judgement” and her passion for television. “I would like to say a huge thank you on behalf of everyone across the business and wish her all the very best for the future,” she said.

Pedersen added: “I am incredibly lucky to have worked with such a fantastic and talented group of colleagues, producers and buyers during my time at [All3Media International]. I am very proud of the business we have built and would like to thank everyone who has been a part of that, both in the UK and internationally. This feels like a good time to think about the next challenge; I am looking forward to it.”

Jane Turton

Turton also welcomed the opportunity to work with Payne as the veteran distribution executive brings All3Media International and Banijay Rights together. “Cathy is a hugely experienced and respected strategic leader in the world of rights exploitation, and it is an exciting time to be combining these two market leading companies and catalogues.”

Payne added: “All3Media International has long been a beacon for brilliant formats, scripted titles and premium English-language content that delivers for linear, streamers and new platforms and I look forward to bridging these worlds to bring our clients a first-class entertainment offering across all genres.

“While the IP of course sits at the heart of the combination, for me it’s also about the people. In All3Media International and Banijay Rights, we have an exceptional breadth of talent and uniting them will deliver us quite possibly the strongest team in our space. While it will be some time until we are ‘one,’ I am confident that we will be well-placed to continue delivering growth for the group at-large.”