Steve Matthews and Johans Jensen have been handed new roles in Banijay Entertainment's central script division.
Matthews was named Head of Scripted, Creative and Jensen Head of Scripted, Business. Together they will support and partner with Banijay's portfolio of over 60 text brands.
Frédéric Balmary will continue to oversee the overall direction of Banijay's scripting efforts as commercial head. “As we continue to grow, the refreshed roles of Steve and Johannes will strengthen our creative and business acumen, ensuring we continue to innovate and lead on the global stage,” he said.
Former HBO Exec Matthews has been with Banijay since 2023, serving as a hub for French-scripted and scheduled producers and global initiatives. He has played a more prominent role since Christian Wikander's exit this time last year.
Jensen has to this point head texts for Banijay Nordic. He led both Jarowskij and Yellow Bird, and the company that emerged when the pair merged in September last year.
Denis Leroy will take on the role of Senior Director in Banijay Entertainment's central script division, specializing in identifying and developing international script formats and writers.
“In an increasingly competitive environment, success is built on creating and exploiting the strongest slate of written IP possible,” Jensen said. “The collaboration builds on this success, and this new structure will define dealmaking with creative prowess to ensure we remain globally influential.”
“The key is to support and empower the editorial teams and foster strong creative partnerships between them, across the Banijay Entertainment writers network,” Matthews added. “By working together to develop lasting relationships with talent – established or emerging – we will continue to grow the group’s reputation for first-class storytelling.”
Banijay's textual list of proverbs includes SAS: Rogue Heroesand The excavatorand Ripleyand Sixth The willand The World According to Lydia Bottand He felland 30 coins and NCIS: Sydney.
