Dubai office to become hub for tape and format sales, ancillary and sponsorship activity

Anahita Kheder promoted to Senior VP, Middle East, Africa and South Eastern Europe

Emre Mumcuoglu hired as Vice President, Distribution

London, March 28th, 2014 - FremantleMedia International (FMI) has today signalled its commitment to the emerging markets of the Middle East, Africa and South Eastern Europe by expanding the responsibilities of its Dubai office so that it becomes a distribution hub for the region, selling tape and formats as well as driving FremantleMedia's ancillary and sponsorship activity. As a result of this additional focus and the region's significant growth to date it has promoted Anahita Kheder to Senior Vice President, Middle East, Africa and South Eastern Europe and appointed Emre Mumcuoglu as Vice President, Distribution.

Reporting into Kheder, Mumcuoglu will relocate from Istanbul to Dubai with immediate effect. Together, the team will be responsible for developing and managing strategies to sell all FremantleMedia content to potential and current broadcasters and licensees across various distribution platforms in the region. The creation of the new distribution hub will enable FMI to increase business in these competitive markets with a vibrant local presence.

Jamie Lynn, Executive Vice President, Head of Distribution, EMEA said: "By expanding our Dubai operation to handle the key emerging markets of the Middle East, Turkey and Africa we've got a real opportunity to build on the significant successes we've had to date and to exploit opportunities with emerging players to cement our position as market leader in the region. In Anahita and Emre we have two hugely impressive executives whose deep local knowledge and wide-ranging experience will help us to drive these opportunities and grow our business further."

Kheder has over 14 years of working with in the region and has been with FremantleMedia since 2011, when she joined FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) as VP, Middle East. Prior to joining FME, Kheder, held marketing positions within the music and sport industries before specialising in branded entertainment and entertainment marketing.

Mumcuoglu joins FMI from World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. in Turkey where he was responsible for the vision and strategic direction of the company's business development in Turkey and Central Asia. In addition to his time at World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., he worked as Director of Programme Acquisitions for Fox Turkey. Prior to that Mumcuoglu worked at Discovery Networks in Istanbul where he was Head of Affiliate Sales for Turkey, Middle East and Israel.

-Ends-

For more information, please contact:
Chris Charlton
Head of Communications, Global                  
Tel: +44 207 691 6370
chris.charlton@fremantlemedia.com        

ABOUT FREMANTLEMEDIA
FremantleMedia is one of the largest creators, producers and distributors of television brands in the world.  It is responsible for many of the world's highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama, factual entertainment and kids & family programming, with capabilities that extend from content creation to licensing, digital and branded entertainment, gaming and home entertainment. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes FremantleMedia International, FremantleMedia Digital & Branded Entertainment, FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment, FremantleMedia North America, UFA, FremantleMedia UK, FremantleMedia Australia, Ludia, @radical.media and Original Productions, among others) has an outstanding global network with operations in 25 countries, creating over 8,500 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and airing 400  programmes a year worldwide. The company also distributes more than 20,000 hours of content in over 200 territories. FremantleMedia has some of the world's most famous and long running formats in its catalogue, and globally produces such programmes as: Idols, Got Talent (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), The X Factor (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), Take Me Out, Hole In The Wall, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Farmer Wants A Wife, Through the Keyhole Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeite, Wentworth, Neighbours, Generation War, Salatut Elamat, Grand Designs, Project Runway, Tree Fu Tom and Strange Hill High.  FremantleMedia is part of RTL Group, the leading European entertainment network, which is in turn 75.1 percent owned by the international media company Bertelsmann. www.fremantlemedia.com

About FremantleMedia International
FremantleMedia International (FMI) is the global distribution division of FremantleMedia, one of the leading creators, producers and distributors of television entertainment brands in the world.  The division is responsible for global sales across Linear Television, Digital and Home Entertainment platforms of finished content, format sales in non-production territories as well as acquiring and developing new programmes for the international market. In addition to the world-class FremantleMedia production families around the globe, FMI works with the highest calibre creative talent, producers, channels, licensees and studios to create, finance and distribute the best content in the business.

FMI's catalogue contains more than 20,000 hours of content; a diverse and exciting range of programming spanning drama, comedy, factual, lifestyle and entertainment. Managed by a powerful distribution network spanning nine international offices and supported by a best-in-class brand management team, FMI's content has sold to more than 150 countries around the world. For more information please visit www.fremantlemedia.com.

© Press Release 2014