Former Newen Studios chief executive Romain Bessi has joined international production company alliance The Creatives in the newly created role of CEO.
Bessi will work with the nine member companies of The Creatives to establish an integrated structure for the international alliance. He will also launch a first-financing round for a new form of studio owned by its producers.
The Creatives member companies comprise some of Europe’s top producers: Haut Et Court (France), Lemming Film (Netherlands), Maipo Film (Norway), Razor Film (Germany), Spiro (Israel), Unité (France), Good Chaos (UK), Masha (US) and Komplizen Film (Germany). Between them the Creatives companies have produced over 330 films and 50 TV series.
The group came together in 2021 to forge co-productions and strategic joint ventures, share information and combine networks. It launched with a two year non-exclusive deal for series with producer and distributor Fremantle which has expired.
Most recently Bessi was chairman and CEO of French production group Newen Studios, owned by TF1 Group, which has around 50 labels in its stable.
Before Newen, he was COO of StudioCanal from 2012 to 2016, having joined the company in 2006 as deputy managing director, finance, strategy and technical activities.
He had previously spent ten years in the Canal+ group rising from financial controller to CFO of channel activities.
Bessi said: “After almost 30 years in the industry, this feels like the most natural step in my career, and certainly the most exciting. The companies that are part of the Creatives certainly stand out in the industry, and together they bring unparalleled creative and business capacities, which will be further magnified by being part of this group.”
Bessi’s appointment was announced during MIA market in Rome, where he and many of execs behind The Creatives outlined their strategy for the alliance.
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