Kate Llewellyn-Jones.
Beyond International is merging its two London-based distribution outfits, Beyond Distribution and the recently acquired TCB Media Rights.
Kate Llewellyn-Jones, a former MD of TCB Media Rights, has been named CEO of the new entity, Beyond Rights.
In addition to the Beyond and TCB teams in London, the new business will incorporate Beyond’s office in Dublin and team members based in Sydney, including Joanne Azzopardi, senior VP, international sales and acquisitions for Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
For the past 18 months, Llewellyn-Jones has been a commercial consultant. She served as MD of TCB Media Rights from 2015 to 2018. Before that she spent 12 years at Cineflix Rights.
Michael Murphy, Beyond Distribution’s general manager, will remain with the Beyond Group in an executive director role, working alongside Mikael Borglund, CEO and MD of Beyond International, on recent joint venture BeyondTNC, as well as corporate administration and business development.
Beyond Rights will have a catalogue of more than 7,500 hours, including long-running series Love It or List It, Mythbusters, Abandoned Engineering, Underground Worlds and Border Patrol.
Due to lockdown conditions, the merger is expected to be completed in a couple of months, according to Beyond.
Beyond acquired TCB Media Rights for the bargain price of $A3.8 million from the administrators of Canada’s Kew Media Group, despite opposition from TCB founder and CEO Paul Heaney, who has since departed.
Earlier this month Beyond bought the UK arm of Seven West Media’s Seven Studios and SWM’s 51 per cent stake in Los Angeles-based 7Beyond.
Borglund said: “I am delighted to welcome Kate to the team and look forward to working with her on strategy for the new Beyond Rights business going forward.”
Llewellyn-Jones added: “I am looking forward to re-connecting with the team at TCB Media Rights and to getting to know the people at Beyond – as well as the wide range of incredible producer partners that work with both businesses.”