UK: Banijay-Zodiak complete its merger transaction

Operating from today, the newly-created Banijay Group is 73.8% controlled by a company composed of Stéphane Courbit’s LOV Group (50.1%) and DeA Communications – a company belonging to De Agostini Group (49.9%), with Vivendi owning 26.2% of the total Group.

Regarding to the restructuring, Courbit was named Chairman, Marco Bassetti, CEO of Banijay Group, and Sophie Kurinckx was promoted to CFO, and Frédérique Sauvage has been appointed as General Counsel of Banijay Group.

With revenues of around US$1 billion, the merger has created the world’s biggest independent production company and the largest not controlled by a media group. Both companies’ international distribution operations are merging and will be led by Tim Mutimer who has become Head of Distribution of Banijay Group. The distribution arm will keep the name of Zodiak Rights.

The new Group, which already boasts the leading production companies in many countries, now has operations in 17 territories producing entertainment, drama, factual, reality entertainment, docu-drama, children’s and animation programming.  Leading formats and shows include Versailles, The Secret Life of Four Year Olds,Temptation Island, Popstars, Beat Your Host, 71 Degrees North, Keeping up with the Kardashians, Fort Boyard, Making of the Mob, Underbelly,Wife Swap, Wild Things, Being Human, Location Location Location and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, among many others.

Stéphane Courbit: ‘I have every confidence that this strong group of managers and creative talent will thrive on the global stage. It is my pleasure to welcome Vivendi to our new Group and we look forward to a prosperous future together’.

Lorenzo Pellicioli, CEO of De Agostini Group, added: ‘The merger between Banijay and Zodiak Media, two companies of which De Agostini Group has been a shareholder since the very beginning, creates a real leading international player. Indeed I firmly believe that – thanks to the quality and size of the product portfolio, the geographical footprint, the excellence of the management team and the support of the shareholders – the new Group will be well-equipped to compete on a global basis in the creation, production and distribution of television content’.

Arnaud de Puyfontaine, CEO of Vivendi: ‘One of our Group’s main goals is to invest in companies developing world-class, original programming. Banijay Group combines strong international creative talent with an extremely wide range of television shows and formats’. ‘Our united Group has strength in both its talent and assets to deliver a wide and diverse range of winning content across multiple platforms; maximizing our global footprint and optimizing our business opportunities’, completed Bassetti.