Endemol’s Southern Star hires new CEO

Endemol-owned production company Southern Star has appointed a new chief executive from Australian broadcaster Seven.

The producer has hired Janeen Faithfull, currently head of content and rights management at the broadcaster, as chief executive following the departure of Rory Callaghan, announced in January.

Faithfull, who has also previously worked at Columbia Tristar Television in the US and in a business affairs role at Nine Network, will report to Martha Brass, managing director, international operations, Endemol.

Southern Star has a number shows lined up this year including the return of Big Brother on Nine and drama series Puberty Blues for Network Ten.

Brass said: “Janeen is an outstanding executive with over two decades of senior management experience in commercial television. Her expertise spans broadcasting, development, production, distribution and exploitation, working both in Australia and the US and across both scripted and non-scripted genres.  We are thrilled to have someone of her calibre to take Southern Star into its next chapter of growth.”