Banijay Latest: Rachel Job Set For Senior Content Role As Sales & Scripted Exits Emerge

EXCLUSIVE: The shape of distributor Banijay Rights is beginning to form.

One of the big distribution winners of the Banijay-All3Media mega-merger has emerged as Rachel Job, who we hear is in line for a senior content role, with long-serving execs such as Simon Cox, Claire Jago and Maartje Horchner exiting.

We also have news of of the Banijay international scripted division slimming down, where Denis Leroy has left his post.

Deadline understands Job, who was All3Media International‘s SVP, Unscripted, will take up an EVP-level post that covers both scripted and unscripted rights at the merged Banijay and All3Media group.

Banijay has been overseeing a consultancy process for staff in recent weeks, which is nearing completion. Various execs are exiting, with a full announcement on the shape of the business likely soon, possibly before MIPCOM.

We understand that Banijay Rights EVP Content Acquisitions Cox, EVP EMEA, Sales & Acquisitions Jago and Horchner, who was Executive VP Content at All3Media International, all took voluntary redundancy. We hear that Chris Stewart, Senior Vice President Of Sales UK & Eire, has also taken the voluntary redundancy package. Broadcast was first with the news of Cox and Jago’s departures.

Cox has been with Banijay since 2021 when it acquired Endemol Shine Group, where he had been Head of Acquisitions since 2015. Jago was also a long-serving Endemol Shine sales exec, while Horchner has been with All3Media since its very early days, joining back in 2004.

Today’s update comes after we revealed that long-serving All3Media International CEO Louise Pedersen was exiting following the Banijay merger’s completion. Cathy Payne is leading the new-look Banijay Rights. Banijay has previously said it will prioritize “eliminating duplication” in distribution and sales as it seeks €50M ($56.8M) in synergies within 12 months of the deal closing.

Job, a former History UK programming chief, has been with All3 since 2019. Her role has included working on All3 content and third-party acquisitions. Given the merged Banijay and All3Media business has more than 170 production labels, sources are speculating the focus going forward will be far more on in-house content.

At All3, Job has worked on shows such as The Traitors, Gogglebox and Cash Cab, while also being a key buyer of third-party shows. She has been across titles such as Michael Jackson: The Trial and Taylor Swift: A Love Story this year, along with Toronto breakout 2.6 Seconds: Death in the Outback, which Netflix acquired, as we revealed last month.

With a catalog of more than 265,000 hours, the new-look Banijay Rights team will be at MIPCOM next month with a slate including Channel 4 drama Maya and BBC legal series Reputation, entertainment format Last One Standing and a return for long-running factual series One Born Every Minute. It will also house The Traitors, Big Brother, Survivor, Fear Factor and Deal or No Deal under one roof. The company will operate out of a newly named ‘Banijay House’ opposite the Palais des Festivals.

Scripted Changes

Elsewhere, Banijay’s international scripted team, which makes co-productions between labels and sources IP, has been shrunk following the exit of Denis Leroy, and following Johannes Jensen shifting to a role within the Banijay Nordics team.

Leroy was Senior Director of the Banijay group scripted team, leading on the scripted format and literary IP strategy. He had been with the company for around a decade, and was with Zodiak Media before that, working across numerous projects.

We understand his exit came in the past few weeks. Jensen, who was Head of Scripted, Business within the same team, has shifted to a director of scripted role within Banijay Nordics.

This, we understand, leaves Steve Matthews, Banijay’s Head of Scripted, Creative as the sole senior member of this team.

When big beasts like Banijay are seeking synergies, one source suggested that roles like Leroy’s and Jensen’s, which tie labels together, tend to be under grave threat.

Having less executives bringing the labels together may make it harder to fund European, non-English language co-productions, which often rely on numerous producers, a different source speculated.

Banijay declined to comment when approached today. A spokesperson has previously said: “Since the merger has only just closed, we are not yet in a position to confirm Banijay Entertainment’s combined leadership team or organisational structure.”