Deniz Şaşmaz Oflaz Named WBD Turkey Content Chief
Deniz Şaşmaz Oflaz has been named Warner Bros Discovery’s Vice President of Local Original Productions, Local Channels and Streaming Operations Lead for Turkey. Oflaz was previously CEO of streamer BluTV, which WBD acquired at the end of last year. She will remain in charge of the service, while taking on channel management for TLC and DMAX, plus development and production of local Turkish content. Grigory Lavrov, Vice President of Marketing, Local Brands & Franchise Management, Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT), who had led TLC and DMAX since 2020, will continue to lead the trade marketing teams across CEE and MENAT and take on new responsibilities outside of Turkey. In an interview with Oflaz and WBD General Manager for CEE, the Baltics, Middle East, Mediterranean and Turkey Jamie Cooke, we reported on how BluTV has become an important strategic asset for WBD, acting as a testbed for further streaming initiatives in the MENA region.
Potato‘s Michael Kelpie Stepping Down After 11 Years
ITV Studios’ first in-house production label, Potato, is saying goodbye to its founder. Michael Kelpie will in December exit the company, which makes the likes of The Chase, Beat the Chasers and Sitting on a Fortune. He has been with UK broadcaster ITV since 2007, initially joining as an executive producer with a slate including Four Weddings, The Chase and the revivals of Surprise Surprise, It’ll Be Alright On the Night and Krypton Factor. After launching Potato in 2013, he made shows such as Bear Grylls’ Survival School, Autopsy: The Last Hours of… and Ninja Warrior UK. “It’s never an easy decision to leave, but as Van Morrison sang, ‘I know the time is just right’ and the amazing team at Potato will continue to grow and follow the mantra that has guided us from the beginning — make what we love and love what we make.” Angela Jain, ITV Studios Director of Unscripted UK, will act as interim MD for Potato working alongside senior execs Martin Scott, Phil Mount and Christina Clayton. Jain said Kelpie was “truly one of a kind.”
BBC Player Expanding In EMEA
BBC Player, the international streamer from BBC Studios, is launching in Greece, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The on-demand service will be added to Cosmote TV’s streaming platform in Greece, Slovak Telekom’s Magio TV in Slovakia and T-Mobile’s Magenta TV in Czech Republic from November 2024. In Greece, BBC Player will offer shows such as Idris Elba drama Luther, natural history titles including Mammals and cookery competition The Great British Bake Off with Greek subtitles. In Slovakia and Czech Republic the content will be localized in Czech, with voiceover, subtitles and dubbing. The platform will offer the likes of The Following Events are Based on a Pack of Lies, Pride & Prejudice, The Trump Show, Putin – A Russian Spy Story, Snow Dogs: Into the Wild and children’s show Hey Duggee. BBC Player is already available in Poland, Germany, Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia.
Goodbye Kansas Group CEO Stefan Danieli Resigning
Stefan Danieli, the CEO of Sweden’s Goodbye Kansas Group, has tendered his resignation. He is exiting the VFX group after overseeing a strategic transformation for the company, overhauling its direction, financial structure and cost management. He plans to hand over to “a new growth-focused leader,” in line with an existing board plan. Danieli will remain in post through a transition period and will be “at the company’s disposal throughout the notice period of nine months.” Chairman of the Board Per Anders Wärn will provide more support. He said the company is now “well positioned for profitable growth considering both the gaming and the global film and TV markets are recovering.” Wärn added: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to express our gratitude to Stefan for his leadership and dedication over the past two years.”