People To Meet: Zodiak’s Simon Junker

Simon Junker, chief executive, RM 5to Elemento

What would pop star Ricky Martin want at NATPE? The person to ask is Simon Junker, chief executive of Zodiak-owned production company RM 5to Elemento, which was originally set up by the Livin’ la Vida Loca artist’s music management team.

Junker, who was also previously vice president, Latin America at Zodiak Entertainment, replaced Bruno Del Granado at the company, which is focused on translating the European producer and distributor’s formats for Latin broadcasters.

The company has already scored a number of commissions including a Mexican version of Diverse’s travel format Beyond Barriers for Televisa and Back in Wedding Shape for US Hispanic cable network Galavision. It is also looking to get local versions of Fort Boyard and Twist and Shout away and has ambitions to develop its own original series.

Junker shares a musical background with Martin; he started as an A&R executive at Sony Music Denmark before becoming head of music at Scandinavian production company Metronome. He subsequently joined Zodiak after starting his own indie Social Club Productions.

He shares his time between Guatemala and Miami and the company also recently opened an office in Bogota, Colombia.