Fremantle’s UFA hires RTL’s Sascha Schwingel to replace Nico Hofmann

Where’s Wanda

Fremantle has appointed RTL Deutschland’s deputy chief content officer, Sascha Schwingel, as CEO of German production outfit UFA to replace Nico Hofmann.

Schwingel will oversee Where’s Wanda division UFA Fiction and fellow scripted arm UFA Serial Drama, as well as entertainment arm UFA Show & Factual (Deutschland sucht den Superstar) and Arctic Drift unit UFA Documentary, launched in 2021.

He was most recently overseeing content at RTL Deutschland, including RTL Television, streamer RTL+ and pay channels Vox, the latter of which he had been CEO of between 2019 and 2022.

Before that, he was led production and programme management at ARD Degeto, working on Babylon Berlin and The Barschel Case.

LR: Jen Mullin; Sascha Shwingel; Nico Hofmann; Andrea Scrosati

Schwingel reports to Fremantle’s group COO and CEO for continental Europe, Andrea Scrosati, and takes up the remit of Hofmann, who becomes chairman of the company.

Hofman has been CEO of UFA since 2017 and has had a long career within the group beginning in 1998, when he set up teamWorx (now UFA Fiction), where Schwingel started his career before moving ARD.

Hofman has credits on shows ranging from Generation War to the Deutschland 83, and will remain “closely connected” to Fremantle parent company Bertelsmann as an advisory board member of the Liz Mohn Center.

Jennifer Mullin, Fremantle CEO, said: “I would like to personally thank Nico for his hard-work and commitment to UFA for the past 26 years. With him at the helm, UFA has maintained its position as a leading German media company and a vital part of the Fremantle group.

“We are delighted he will become chairman and stay within the Fremantle family. At the same time, I am so pleased to welcome Sascha back to the business and look forward to working with him to shape and drive UFA’s future.”

Scrosati described Schwingel as “an innovative, creative and savvy leader, and a great choice to lead UFA into the future” who would “build on past successes to create an extremely strong and globally appealing business.”

Hofmann added: “After 26 years with Bertelsmann and eight years at the helm of UFA I have decided, together with Jennifer Mullin and Andrea Scrosati, to pass on the leadership of UFA.

“In Sascha, who is a friend and colleague for many years, we have found an experienced and highly talented successor. With great creative energy, Sascha has pursued a successful career at our subsidiary teamWorx, at public broadcaster ARD and at RTL Deutschland – evolving as an intelligent manager with a strong reputation in the creative scene.

“Thank you to Jennifer for her warm and cooperative support, to Andrea for his curiosity and openness in appointing Sascha as my successor and to RTL Group and Bertelsmann for a great understanding of creative entrepreneurship – something I have been lucky to experience over all these years. UFA is my pride and joy, a great production company with a great team. With Sascha and the commitment from Fremantle I have high hopes for the future – a future where I am happy to take on the role of chairman.”

Schwingel said “I would like to thank Nico for all the great foundations he has laid, as well as Jennifer and Andrea for the trust and I look forward to building on this success with the team.”