Banijay names Endemol Shine’s Matt Creasey to head sales, co-pros & acquisitions

Matt Creasey

Banijay Rights, the distribution arm of global production giant Banijay, has appointed Matt Creasey as EVP of sales, co-productions and acquisitions outside of EMEA.

Creasey move across from Endemol Shine International (ESI), following Banjiay’s recent acquisition of the group, where he served as EVP of sales and acquisitions.

He will continue to be based out of LA and reports into Banijay Rights’ CEO Cathy Payne – his former boss at ESI. His new role will see him work closely with the company’s leadership team to set the strategy and grow the business across all non-EMEA territories.

He will also explore opportunities across linear, SVOD and AVOD platforms and oversee scripted co-productions in the US and the rest of the world, alongside sales and acquisitions.

Creasey joined Endemol Shine International in 2006 as director of sales and distribution, and before that was head of sales at Celador International. Most recently, he shared oversight of ESI’s global sales operation following the exit of Payne from ESI, as revealed by TBI.

Payne said that Creasey “has an undisputed knowledge of the industry” while the veteran distribution exec added that he would focus on “driving maximum value for our treasure trove of IP in the US and beyond.”

Banijay Rights’ catalogue holds more than 88,000 hours of content, with key brands including Survivor, Big Brother and Peaky Blinders.

The company recently signed a first-look deal with UK indie prodco Nineteen11 and sold its gameshow format Don’t to Mexico’s TV Azteca.

Banijay Rights rejig

Creasey’s appointment is the latest senior change for Banijay’s distribution arm since the Endemol Shine acquisition. Payne has been joined by fellow ESI exec John Richards, who is chief financial officer, while Roisin Thomas is COO. The newly devised team, which saw existing CEO Tim Mutimer taking up the post of EVP of EMEA sales & acquisitions, will oversee all operational and financial matters for the enlarged rights division.

Banijay has been quick to put its senior team in place over recent months, naming Peter Salmon atop of UK operations, appointing Marcus Wolter as CEO in Germany and unveiling its management team in Iberia and Italy.

On the corporate level, TBI revealed in July that Wim Ponnet, Endemol Shine’s chief strategy & commercial officer, would be leaving the company, while international operations chief Nicola Bamford is also departing. ESG CEO Sophie Turner-Laing also left the company, as expected.