Banijay Entertainment Sets Steve Matthews and Johannes Jensen as Co-Heads of Scripted
Banijay Entertainment is starting 2025 off with a new approach to its scripted division.
The French production and distribution company announced on Monday that it has promoted Steve Matthews to be head of scripted, creative, and Johannes Jensen to be head of scripted, business. Both execs will report to chief business officer Frédéric Balmary.
“Our scripted offering continues to go from strength-to-strength with a combined slate of new hits and successful returners scooping high-profile awards and widespread critical acclaim,” Balmary said in a statement. “We are incredibly proud of our producers’ achievements in this space and as we continue to grow, the refreshed roles for Steve and Johannes will strengthen our creative and business acumen, ensuring we continue to innovate and lead on the global stage.”
Matthews joined Banijay in 2023 and is credited with “fueling the storytelling pipeline” at the company by introducing the Banijay Bootcamp, where emerging writers get to work with existing executives. Meanwhile, Jensen previously served as head of scripted for Banijay Nordic and led both Jarowskij and Yellow Bird.
“The key is to support and empower editorial teams and to foster strong creative partnerships between them, across Banijay Entertainment’s scripted network,” Matthews said in a statement. “In working together to develop enduring relationships with talent — established or emerging — we will continue to grow the group’s reputation for first-class storytelling.”
“In an increasingly competitive environment, success is built on creating and exploiting the most powerful slate of scripted IP possible,” Jensen added. “Collaboration drives that success, and this new structure will align deal-making nous with creative prowess to ensure we remain globally influential.”
Recent Banijay hits include “Ripley,” “The Rig,” “The World According to Lidea Poët,” “A Remarkable Place to Die,” “NCIS: Sydney” and “Like Water for Chocolate.”
The post Banijay Entertainment Sets Steve Matthews and Johannes Jensen as Co-Heads of Scripted appeared first on TheWrap.