Fremantle UK names ex-Thames MD Amelia Brown as new CEO

Amelia Brown

Fremantle has named Amelia Brown, the former MD of UK label Thames, as CEO of its UK business to replace the departing Simon Andreae.

Brown will be based in London and takes on the role with immediate effect, reporting into group CEO Jennifer Mullin. She will also join Fremantle’s global leadership team.

Andreae stepped down from the position less than a week ago after three years in the role, citing health issues and sharing plans to focus on his family and “a smaller portfolio of projects.”

Brown will take oversight of Fremantle UK labels Thames, Talkback, Label 1 and Andreae’s own prodco, Naked. Euston Films will meanwhile report to Christian Vesper, CEO of global drama, while recent acquisitions 72 Films and Wildstar Films will continue to report to their individual boards.

In January, Brown announced plans to exit Thames to launch her own production company after “years of dreaming” and had been due to remain with the company until July, but those plans now appear to be on hold.

A Fremantle veteran of 20 years, Brown was named MD Thames in 2017, after having first joined as a freelancer in 2003. She served as a key creative on almost every series of Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor as series producer and executive producer roles.

She also led Thames’ expansion into reality television and factual entertainment with shows including Too Hot To Handle for Netflix (a co-production with fellow UK label Talkback) and recent commissions including MAMMA MIA! I Have a Dream for ITV and The Big Celebrity Detox for E4. Her successor as MD of Thames is expected to be announced soon.

“Having worked here for twenty years, I know that this is a very special place that celebrates creativity; I can’t wait to work with our brilliant teams as we are lucky enough to have some of the very best programme makers and continue to grow Fremantle UK,” said Brown.

Brown’s January announcement that she would be leaving Thames coincided with the news that Fatima Salaria, MD of fellow Fremantle UK label Naked, was also planning to exit the company in a further shake-up of the production giant’s leadership ranks.