Fremantle completes Asacha Media Group acquisition

Death In Paradise (Source: BBC Studios)

Fremantle has completed its acquisition of global production company Asacha Media Group and its portfolio of labels in France, Italy and the UK.

The deal sees Fremantle take control of the outfit from Asacha’s founding partners, managers and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management.

Fremantle struck a conditional agreement to acquire Asacha in February, which came after TBI exclusively revealed that the group was exploring a sale.

Asacha is comprised of French production companies Kabo Family, Mintee and Srab Films; Italian labels Picomedia and Stand By Me; and UK-based Arrow Media, Red Planet Pictures and Wag.

The companies will continue to report to Asacha co-Founder and group CEO Gaspard de Chavagnac, who will also continue to be supported by Marina Williams, chief content officer of Asacha.

Asacha Media was founded in 2020 by de Chavagnac, Williams and Marc-Antoine d’Halluin. Its labels are behind shows including Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise (Red Planet Pictures); Mare Fuori and La Storia (Picomedia); Saint Omer (Srab Films); Cimetiere Indien (Mintee Studio); and Don’t Pick Up The Phone (Wag).

The acquisition of Asacha was led by Fremantle’s group COO and CEO Continental Europe, Andrea Scrosati. He commented: With the completion of the acquisition, we look forward to working closely with Gaspard, Marina and all of the label MD’s and talent to achieve bigger things together within our new group.”

Advising for Asacha Media Group and Oaktree has been Lazard, Mayer Brown, Duroc partners and Arsene and for Fremantle has been CMS.

The acquisition comes less than two weeks since Fremantle posted its annual financial results, with the RTL Group-owned producer-distributor seeing revenues fall by 3.4% to €2.27bn in 2023, leaving the company requiring 30% growth over the next two years to hit its self-imposed target of €3bn.