Haddad exits as Endemol Shine rejigs Mid-East

Endemol Shine Middle East (ESME) managing director Lara Haddad is leaving after the production unit struck a deal with regional production group Imagic.

This gear-change will see Imagic exclusively producing non-scripted formats from the Endemol Shine catalogue in the Middle East. ESME and Imagic will then work closely to sell shows to local broadcasters and platforms.

This is part of a shift in strategy for Endemol Shine’s Middle East from a regional production hub to a centralised distribution and licensing business lead by Endemol Shine COO of international operations Marina Williams (pictured).

As a result, Haddad is leaving her role as MD of the Middle East after seven years running the Endemol Shine production business.

“I want to thank Lara for her great leadership over the last seven years,” said Williams. “Together with her team she has delivered some of the Middle East’s most successful entertainment series including Star Academy, Your Face Sounds Familiar, The Money Drop and many others.

Imagic is behind local versions of formats such as Got Talent, The X Factor, Fashion Star, MasterChef and Extreme Makeover, and has developed original series Stars of Science, The Victorious and Mission Fashion.

The company will work with Imane Mezher Gibran, who has been appointed format distribution and licensing cooridinator to drive Endemol Shine formats in the region. She has worked on many Imagic format adaptations and takes up her new role on April 3 as MIPTV begins, reporting to Williams and Imagic CEO Rony Jazzar.

“Going forward, our new structure will be the most effective way for us to serve the region in the current market environment,” said Williams.

“Imagic is the Middle East’s number one producer and combining this new partnership with an expanded sales and distribution business will best position us to deliver world class productions of our global formats to platforms across the region.”

Imagic chief Jazzar said: “Endemol Shine has an unrivalled library of IP across all genres, including some of the world’s biggest and most valuable formats. We look forward to bringing our local creativity and production expertise to this partnership, which will equip us to deliver a rich diversity of top-rated shows to linear and digital platforms throughout the Middle East.”