Fremantle hires Paramount Global, Roku & ITV Studios alums for FAST push

LR: Matt Katrosar, Keith Goss, James Meyer, Liat Abada

Fremantle has hired Paramount Global’s former VP of sales Matt Katrosar, as well as execs from Roku, ITV Studios and Vizio, as it expands its FAST and AVOD activity.

Katrosar takes the newly created role of SVP of global ad sales & strategy and is responsible for the group’s FAST and AVOD channels, as well as broadcast, social and content revenue growth across worldwide teams.

He was most recently strategic advisor at US-based Telly, having previously been in charge of streaming and programmatic sales at Paramount Global. Katrosar also held roles at subsidiaries CBS, Pluto TV and Viacom, and reports into Fremantle’s CEO of commercial & international, Jens Richter.

Fremantle has also hired Roku’s Keith Goss as senior director of global digital operations services; ITVS’s director of digital distribution James Meyer as director of global channels distribution & partnerships; and Vizio marketer Liat Abada, who becomes director of global platform partnerships.

The hires follow the appointment of Laura Florence as SVP of global channels, who joined from Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (CSSE) last summer.

Richter said: “With Matt’s extensive experience in the US and internationally, he will be pivotal in the expansion of the channels team, which will continue to drive Fremantle’s growth and success in this business area. I would also like to welcome Keith (Goss), James (Meyer) and Liat (Abada) who together will further enhance the success of the Global Channels group and underlines our investment and focus on this important growth area.”

Fremantle runs 33 FAST channels around the world and was an early adopter to the then-nascent tech with its Buzzr service, which launched in 2015 and offers gameshow brands including Press Your Luck, Family Feud and Password.

The group has since rolled out numerous single IP channels focused on shows such as Baywatch, America’s Got Talent and The Price Is Right, as well as genre offerings including Places And Spaces, Cook Chop Chat, Sleuth and Quip.

TBI revealed earlier this year that FAST revenues are set to reach $12bn by 2027, according to research firm Omdia, with US revenues expected to surpass $10bn by 2027. In Europe, revenues are expected to exceed $1bn by that time.