NENT Group appoints DRG’s Halliwell as MD of UK studios operation

Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group) has appointed DRG boss Richard Halliwell as MD of the newly formed NENT Studios UK.

Halliwell will report into Jakob Mejlhede Andersen, CEO of NENT Studios UK, which constitutes the UK operations of the Nordic business.

Halliwell will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of NENT Studios UK, focusing on the development, funding and distribution of a range of scripted and non-scripted content for the international market.

NENT Studios UK is to ramp up investment in the UK and internationally, particularly for the fast-evolving Viaplay streaming service, now a major player in global-facing drama.

Halliwell will combine his new role with his current position as CEO of London-based The Cry distributor DRG. This joint role is to ensure that NENT Studios UK productions are fully supported and monetised by DRG’s global development and distribution capabilities.

NENT Studios UK CEO Jakob Mejlhede Andersen has extensive knowledge of Viaplay’s target audience and a successful track record from his previous role as NENT Group head of content, most recently based in Los Angeles.

NENT Studios – NENT Group’s studios business – operates via three divisions: Nordics and Central & Eastern Europe, the UK and the US.

Altogether the studios piece comprises 32 companies in 17 countries and covers factual, documentary and reality to game shows, lifestyle and drama.

In January, NENT Group announced a UK-based joint venture with The Big Sick studio FilmNation Entertainment to develop, produce and finance premium scripted television content for global audiences.

Halliwell said: “I am delighted to take on this role and look forward to working closely with Jakob and the team. NENT Group is a dynamic force in content, and I will bring my experience of developing, financing and distributing a wide range of programming to expand the international capabilities of the business even further. Our aim is to establish NENT Studios UK quickly as an ambitious global content powerhouse that partners with the very best producers and platforms.”

Andersen added: “Richard has a strong reputation in the market and I am delighted that we can use his unique experience to accelerate the development of NENT Studios UK. Our complementary skills, together with a shared passion for great storytelling, mean that I can think of no better partner to help drive this exciting new business.”