WTFN has promoted Radar general manager Derek Dyson to chief commercial officer, as the business integrates its Fred Media (content distribution) and Radar (digital) teams.
The new-look company will officially debut at the MIPCOM in Cannes next month with new joint Fred Media/Radar branding.
WTFN head of digital channels Louisa Emery will succeed Dyson as Radar general manager. Before joining WTFN last year, she headed up digital and social media teams at Warner Bros. and Fremantle in Australia and guided the Big Brother relaunch campaign for Channel 7 and Endemol Shine. She also has experience working for Totem Global in Australia and has spent time at Channel 5 and ITV in the UK.
The appointments come more than 18 months after WTFN announced the launch of the Radar MCN as a new digital content division.
Dyson said Radar’s growth meant it now made sense to integrate the business with Fred Media.
“Over the past few months, as the Radar business has expanded, the Fred Media and Radar teams have been working increasingly closely together for many clients looking to optimise the value of the rights they entrust us to manage,” he said.
“I am excited to oversee Fred Media/Radar and create something new in the marketplace. It has been a tough year for everyone but our total distribution strategy – focusing on ensuring all content rights are maximised across every possible platform – has been paying dividends, with digital and online projects especially proving key growth drivers. With Louisa now a key part of our team – working closely with Fred Media head of sales Jimmy Elkington and head of operations and acquisitions for Fred Media/Radar Roger Vanderspikken, we are well-placed to deliver new creative and commercial opportunities, especially in the wider creator economy.”
In other team news, sales, development, acquisitions, and co-production executive Judy Levenson has joined Fred Media as a sales consultant with responsibility for the Americas. Levenson has previously held senior roles at Showtime, National Geographic, Discovery, and Scott Brothers Entertainment.