Bauer gets new US StudioCanal role

Tandem Productions CEO Rola Bauer is expanding her role to oversee StudioCanal’s television projects in the US.

She will now work on scripted formats from France-based StudioCanal’s production and partnership companies, and coproductions in the US, as well as working with Universal Music Group, which is part of StudioCanal parent Vivendi, on new synergies.

She will also oversee talent and showrunner relationships, and report directly to StudioCanal’s COO and head of TV series, Romain Bessi.

Bauer will also remain as chief executive of Tandem, which is behind US-coproduced series such as Crossing Lines. This means she will divide her time between Tandem’s Munich base and LA.

Former Shine Group exec Katrina Neylon, StudioCanal’s executive VP of TV sales and marketing, will remain handling US sales. Gina Marcheschi, who joined Tandem as EVP of development in July 2015, will support Bauer in the US, based out of LA.

“Given Rola’s experience and contacts in the US, it was a logical decision that she take a more active role on behalf of all of our production and partnership companies’ scripted projects,” said StudioCanal CEO Didier Lupfer.

Bauer founded Tandem in 1999, and went on to coproduce dramas such as Pillars of the Earth, before selling to European studio giant StudioCanal four years ago.

StudioCanal’s TV assets include Last Tango in Halifax producer Red Production Company, new firm Guilty Party, and a stake in Scandinavia’s SAM Productions.

StudioCanal’s parent, Vivendi, is also is set to take a minority stake in the soon-to-merge Zodiak Media-Banijay Group company.