Red Arrow, TwoFour execs jump to 7 Wonder

Fledgling UK indie 7 Wonder has hired executives from prodcos within the Red Arrow Entertainment and TwoFour Group companies.

Jeremy Lee has joined from Red Arrow-owned UK prodco Nerd to become executive producer, while Patrick McMahon comes across from TwoFour-owned Boomerang to become head of development.

McMahon indirectly replaces Chris Wilson, who was head of popular factual after joining from Sky. A 7 Wonder spokesman confirmed Wilson has now left the company.

7 Wonder has also drafted in former Endemol executive Mandy Bishop as head of production of a new Birmingham office.

Lee has begun working with 7 Wonder already, and has secured a commission from UK terrestrial Channel 4. How Rom Coms Ruled Our World (WT) will look at how films such as When Harry Met Sally have become a major Hollywood staple.

Before joining Nerd last year, he worked at Jamie Oliver indie Fresh One, and has also had a spell at Ricochet.

McMahon, meanwhile, was Boomerang’s head of development, having built its development business from scratch.

He will focus on boosting 7 Wonder’s popular factual slate, working alongside Mish Mayer, whose role is changing to include more production duties, development across genres and talent relationships. Mayer will also lead youth-focused programming.

McMahon has also worked at RDF Media, Zig Zag Productions, Maverick Television, Princess Productions, Films of Record and Chocolate Media.

A TwoFour spokesman told TBI Shona Baldwin, who joined from Outline Productions in August, was now overseeing development for Boomerang, but clarified this was not a like-for-like replacement.

Bishop will work alongside executive producer Sarah Trigg to oversee the company’s regional production output, which currently stands at 37 hours, and work with founders Liza Abbott and Alex Fraser to develop longer-term growth strategies.

She has in the past managed fast turnaround series, production teams and budgets at Endemol’s Birmingham office, and also worked at Maverick and the BBC.

Former Maverick executives Abbott, Fraser and Simon Elise founded London-based 7 Wonder with backing from Australian broadcaster Network Seven in 2014. The new Birmingham office opened at the start of this year.

“This year marks our second birthday and we are incredibly proud of how far we have come in such a short space of time,” said Abbott. “We firmly believe in creating a destination for both on-screen and off-screen talent, and building a collaborative team that’s passionate about what we do – so Jeremy, Patrick and Mandy make the perfect fit.”

“It was always our intention to expand the team and open an office in Birmingham, but the fact that we have been able to do so, sooner rather than later, is a testament to our hard work,” she added.