‘Bigg Boss’ producers, Banijay Entertainment set for merger with ‘The Traitors’ producers, All3Media
Banijay Group and RedBird IMI, owner of All3Media, have announced a strategic partnership to combine Banijay Entertainment and All3Media, creating a major new force in global media and entertainment. The merged entity will operate under the Banijay name.
The newly formed company will oversee an extensive portfolio of high-profile television and digital brands, including ‘Bigg Boss’, ‘Big Brother’, ‘The Traitors’, ‘Peaky Blinders’, ‘Gogglebox’ and ‘The 50’, further strengthening its position across scripted, unscripted and digital programming.
The combined group will be jointly owned by Banijay Group and RedBird IMI, with each holding a 50 per cent stake. Banijay Group will continue to consolidate the new company’s earnings.
Upon completion of the transaction, Marco Bassetti, currently Chief Executive Officer of Banijay Entertainment, will assume the role of CEO of the enlarged group. Jane Turton, presently CEO of All3Media, will become Deputy CEO. Jeff Zucker, CEO of RedBird IMI, will serve as Chairman of the Board.
Commenting on the agreement, Stéphane Courbit, President of Lov Group Invest, said, “We are delighted to continue to lead the consolidation of the independent content production industry with the combination of Banijay Entertainment and All3Media, creating an even stronger powerhouse. I am also especially pleased to build a partnership with RedBird IMI, with whom we share the same vision for the industry.”
François Riahi, CEO of Banijay Group, added, “This transaction represents a decisive step in Banijay Group’s strategy to reinforce its leading position in global entertainment. Banijay Entertainment and All3Media are highly complementary platforms with exceptional creative assets and global ambition. In all our businesses, we are leading consolidation, and this transaction is another demonstration of this in content production, just as the acquisition of Tipico announced recently in sports betting and online gaming.”
Marco Bassetti stated, “Since its inception, Banijay has been driven by entrepreneurialism, ambition and creativity. In the next phase of our journey, this DNA remains integral to our commitment to building a media and entertainment company that can stand the test of time on the global stage — one that can attract and retain the best talent, invest meaningfully in new franchises and live events, and lead the way in adopting new technologies and platforms.”
Jane Turton added, “All3Media has grown from a start-up in 2003 to a globally successful creative business. We are a group where creative and commercial excellence go hand in hand. We celebrate talent and believe in collaboration, ambition and innovation in producing compelling programmes while delivering strong financial returns. I look forward to working with Marco as All3Media and Banijay embark on this next exciting phase.”
