EXCLUSIVE: Disney+ has elevated its scripted and unscripted bosses in EMEA.
Rivals commissioner Lee Mason becomes Executive Director of Scripted Originals, EMEA Disney+, while Sean Doyle has been given the same title on the unscripted side. Their roles remain similar and they have not been given additional responsibilities.
The pair of commissioners in Diego Londono’s EMEA content team have been with Disney for more than three years and both previously worked for Channel 4. The execs took to LinkedIn to say they were “happy to share the news.”
Mason took charge of Disney+’s EMEA scripted responsibilities last year when Johanna Devereaux moved to Apple TV+. He oversees Disney+ EMEA scripted launches along with the development slate and has recently seen the rollout of one of his most high-profile, Rivals. Speaking to Deadline last week, Rivals exec Dominic Treadwell-Collins hailed Mason’s understanding of the project’s aims from the get go. Disney+ EMEA’s other dramas include the likes of Extraordinary, Oussekine and the upcoming Whiskey on the Rocks, along with a French remake of Ghost with TF1.
Doyle oversees entertainment and docs. During his tenure, Disney+ has commissioned the likes of Save our Squad with David Beckham, Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story and Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story.
Mason and Doyle’s boss, Liam Keelan, will exit as SVP of Original Content, EMEA in January 2025, and we are told the recruitment process is ongoing for one of the most prominent roles in European TV. Keelan built the Europe and Africa programing team from scratch as Disney+ went international, and has seen the group produce 70 originals under his leadership.
Londono was at MIPCOM this week, talking up Disney EMEA’s willingness to be “flexible” on deals.