Beck-Friis leaving Sweden’s TV4

Cecilia Beck-Friis is leaving Sweden’s TV4 and will not be replaced.

Beck-Friis (pictured) is the free-TV group’s digital boss, having been upped in a management restructure in late 2013.

Scandi media giant Bonnier, which owns TV4, said Beck-Friis will stay with TV4 for a handover period, and will manage the preparations for Bonnier’s upcoming OTT service during that time.

She will oversee the final phase of the development of TV4’s ad-supported video-on-demand service TV4 Play before leaving the company.

Announcing her departure, Beck-Friis said: “This is a decision that evolved over a period of time. The last few years have been enormous fun, but also intense. After 15 years at TV4 in a variety of roles, I feel strongly about the business and have had the privilege of working with many different parts of it. I am happy to have got the digital flag flying, taking a consolidated OTT strategy forward.”

TV4 said that Beck-Friis’ role will not be replaced with January Rizvi, head of technology, and Carola Lundell, director of business development, staying on and covering her responsibilities. Both report to CEO Casten Almqvist.

Almqvist will also play a more active role in the upcoming digital and OTT services. He said today: “Cecilia has been a central figure in the work of our digital transformation, and a great support for me as CEO. I respect her decision. We continue to work with the idea that TV4 and Bonnier Broadcasting Services will collaborate in a common technology platform.”