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Viacom hires ITV’s Kyriacou

Maria Kyriacou

ITV Studios exec Maria Kyriacou is leaving the company to take up a new position overseeing the Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) business in the UK and Europe.

Kyriacou has been named president of the UK, Northern and Eastern Europe for VIMN, where she will have oversight of all its media networks and related businesses in 33 European countries, including Channel 5 in the UK.

Kyriacou, who is currently president of international for ITV Studios, will report to David Lynn, president and CEO of VIMN.

Lynn said: “Maria has led the international expansion of ITV’s studios business and her track record of growing international revenues from production, content licensing and distribution at both ITV and Disney means she is ideally equipped to head our operations managed out of the UK.

“Her experience of acquiring, integrating and managing creative businesses and her deep knowledge of the international television market will add a valuable perspective to our fast evolving UK operations and I’m delighted to welcome her to the team.”

Kyriacou added: “With the strength and breadth of its brands and its extensive reach, VIMN is in a great place to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the dynamism of our industry. I’m looking forward to being part of this exciting future.”

VIMN operates 120 TV networks, reaching 90 million households in 33 territories across the UK, Northern and Eastern Europe. It has launched a variety of streaming products across the region, including Paramount+ in the Nordic countries, Hungary and Poland as well as My5, Pluto TV and MTV Play in the UK.

The company also operates a TV production business, Viacom International Studios UK, and has other business interests spanning events, consumer products and location-based entertainment.

Since her appointment at ITV Studios in 2010, Kyriacou has spearheaded investments in market-leading scripted production divisions including Tomorrow Studios and Circle of Confusion (The Walking Dead) in the US, Cattleya (Gomorrah) in Italy, Tetra Media Studios in France and Piv Bernth’s Appletree Productions in Denmark.

She has also helped establish a network of in-house production bases in Australia, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and the US, producing the company’s IP such as Love Island, Come Dine With Me and Talpa’s The Voice around the world, as well as creating original shows for their own markets.

Prior to ITV Studios, Kyriacou was with The Walt Disney Company, most recently as senior VP of digital media distribution for EMEA with responsibility for the company’s digital media sales and strategy across both channel and programme distribution.

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