Porseryd exits as Endemol Shine Nordics arises

Endemol Shine Group has revealed the shape of its Nordics business, with Gary Carter overseeing the unit and Michael Porseryd the highest profile casualty of a wide-reaching restructure.

Gary CarterThe division – Scandinavia’s largest production group – will be known as Endemol Shine Nordics, comprising 11 production companies and four broadcast facilities across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.

Endemol and Shine have long been connected in Scandinavia. Endemol had once owned 35% of producer Metronome Film & Television, but sold its stake to Schibsted in 2007. Two years later Shine acquired Metronome, and last year the production group became Shine Nordics.

“Given the Metronome Group’s history as part of the Endemol group in the early 2000s, prior the acquisition by Shine Group, this is something of a reunion,” said Carter (pictured), who is ESG’s international co-CEO and former chairman of Shine Group’s Nordic operations.

Carter will run the merged Scandinavian group division, which is notable as one of the only parts of the new global production group that sees Shine execs largely assume the key posts. The most notable exit is Endemol Nordics CEO Porseryd, who is leaving after a transition period and his post will be discontinued.

Furthermore, the Endemol Nordics brand, which has been in use since 2010, is being withdrawn, along with a trio of subsidiary labels – Endemol Denmark, Endemol Finland and Endemol Norway. Their businesses and programmes are being subsumed into Shine Nordics prodcos and Endemol Sweden, which produces Kanal 5 drama Gåsmamman.

Endemol Denmark managing director Rikke Nissen and Endemol Norway MD Eric Linschooten will leave after a transition period. Porseryd oversaw Endemol Finland, which was a small production operation that staffed up when necessary.

“I would like personally to thank Rikke Nissen and Eric Linschooten in working so hard and so ably to build the Endemol position in those countries during their time leading those companies, and to thank them for collaborating with us during this process,” said Carter.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to specifically thank Michael Porseryd for his expertise, leadership and contribution to Endemol Nordics.”

Staff at Endemol in the affected territories are in discussions with ESG management about their roles. Some will move into new posts, with around 20 Endemol staff likely to be left at the end of the process, it is understood.

Endemol Shine Nordics will comprise Meter Television, STO-CPH Produktion, Filmlance International, Friday TV, branded content unit Mag5 Content, Rubicon TV, Metronome Spartacus, Metronome Post, Metronome Rental, Studios AS in Norway and Denmark, Metronome Productions, Endemol Sweden and Shine Finland.

Each company chief, including Endemol Sweden interim CEO Rosenlund, will report to Carter. Roselund will also be CFO for Endemol Shine Nordics and Victoria Kjellberg keeps her post as business and legal affairs head at the parent group.

Meanwhile, an existing Shine relationship with former Metronome Denmark chief Merete Mortensen’s new prodco, Heartland, continues unchanged.

The group’s programme portfolio includes Big Brother, The Bridge, Clash of the Choirs, Hotel Caesar, Lilyhammer, MasterChef, The Money Drop and The Third Eye.

The news comes days after ESG announced the shape of its distribution business. The company has been quickly taking shape after Apollo Global Management and 21st Century Fox came together to merge Endemol, Shine and Core Media Group.

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