Petri Kemppinen named CEO of Nordisk Film and TV Fond

The board of directors of Nordisk Film & TV Fond have named Petri Kemppinen as the fund’s new CEO, effective Nov 1.

Kemppinen is currently head of production at the Finnish Film Foundation and has held board duties at Nordisk Film and TV Fond since 2008, first as vp of the board until 2010 and then as substitute board member.

He replaces Hanne Palmquist who will take up her new job as commissioning editor for drama at the Swedish broadcasting corporation SVT on Nov 1.

Claus Ladegaard, chairman of the board at Nordisk Film and TV Fond and head of production and development at the Danish Film Institute said: ‘Petri is a true ‘Nordic believer’. He comes with extensive experience from both TV and film and has for many years worked with the other Nordic countries as well as internationally.

“Nordic film and television have shown great and increasing potential the last decade, and we think Petri will be able to strengthen the fund and the Nordic collaboration in the years to come.’

Kemppinen said: “During the past few years Nordic television drama, documentaries and fiction films have achieved wonderful international recognition and great audiences. Nordisk Film & TV Fond has during Hanne Palmquist’s era played a key strategic role in many levels. I am thrilled to join the fund to keep these golden times and this visibility going.”

Prior to joining the Finnish Film Foundation in 2005, Kemppinen spent nine years at the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE where he held a number of roles such as international programme acquisition executive, head of youth department and commissioning editor at YLE Teema.

His previous experience was in journalism, working for Finland’s leading newspaper Helsingin Sanomat at the TV & Radio and Cultural Departments from 1988-96.

Nordisk Film & TV Fond has an annual budget of approximately $13m (NOK 80m) and is supported financially by the Nordic Council of Ministers, the five Nordic film institutes and 12 Nordic television channels.

Its primary purpose is to promote film and TV productions in the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden), by providing top-up financing for feature films, TV-fiction/series and creative documentaries.

The Fund also supports cross-border distribution in the Nordic region, cultural and training initiatives as well as administering the Nordic Council Film Prize.