Joely Fether to exit Zodiak UK

Joely Fether, Zodiak Media’s UK and Benelux CEO, is exiting the company. The move triggers changes at the very top of the superindie.

The long-serving Fether will step down in May, with Zodiak’s group CEO David Frank assuming her responsibilities and overseeing the company’s UK, Netherland and Belgium-based indies, which include The Inbetweeners producer Bwark, RDF Television and Kanakna.

The UK divisional structure will remain but the heads of those indies will now all report into Frank, who will split his time between London and Paris.

Fether, a close ally of Frank, was handed her current duties in 2010 after Zodiak Entertainment bought UK production giant RDF Media in 2010 and former the Zodiak Media group.

She first joined RDF in 1997.

“Joely and I have worked together since the earliest days of RDF and she will be missed by all, and particularly by me,” said Frank.

“With her leaving, I’ve decided that it makes most sense for me to have a direct relationship with our content companies in what is the IP engine room of the group… I wish Joely the very best for the future, and know in whatever she chooses to do next someone will be lucky enough to benefit from her vast experience and humanity.”

“I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of the RDF/Zodiak story. I joined a tiny production company back in 1997 and look now with huge pride at what we have achieved; from our very first productions, our IPO in 2005 and creation of a group, our MBO and the sale of RDF, our ability to combine business with great creativity but most of all to our incredible catalogue of programmes and formats made over the years and around the world,” she said.

The news comes soon after Zodiak USA announced its CEO, Natalka Znak, was leaving the company. In December, Pascal Breton, chief exec of Zodiak’s French prodco Marathon Images, stepped down after 23 years with the company.