The news comes after the complete acquisition of Shed Media by Time Warner, after initially having acquired 55.75 per cent of Shed in US$ 159 million deal in 2010.
With the rebranding of the super-indie, it also resulted in a few harsh calls keeping in mind the restructuring with the departure of Shed CEO Nick Southgate. Along with Southgate’s departure, Shed execs Nick Emmerson and Claire Hungate have both been promoted to lead the rebranded entity, with Emmerson tapped to serve as managing director and Hungate named co-managing director.
In a statement, Southgate said: “I’ve had a wonderful six years leading this amazing bunch of people and now feel it is time for me to look for a new entrepreneurial challenge. I want to thank everyone at Shed and Warner Bros., and wish them all the best for the future.”
As MD of Warner Bros. Television Productions UK, Emmerson will report to Warner Bros. Television Group president and chief content officer Peter Roth on all creative matters, and will work with Warner Bros’ U.S.-based president of unscripted and alternative television Mike Darnell.
He will be responsible for the overall operation of the new company and will have a primary focus on creative affairs across the group, with the heads of Wall to Wall, Twenty Twenty, Ricochet, Watershed, Renegade, Yalli and Headstrong reporting to him.
Hungate, meanwhile, will serve as the company’s top business, strategy and operations executive in her role as co-MD.
She will report to Emmerson, and together the duo will work closely with Ronald Goes, the exec VP and head of international television production.
In a joint statement, WBTVG president and chief content officer Peter Roth; Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution president Jeffrey R. Schlesinger; and Warner Bros. Television Group business and strategy president Craig Hunegs praised the “complementary creative and strategic business skill sets” of Emmerson and Hungate.
“With the completion of the full acquisition of Shed Media Group, we are excited to operate the company now under the Warner Bros. brand as a fully integrated part of the Warner Bros. Television Group,” the trio added. “Nick and Claire, with their shared experience and complementary creative and strategic business skill sets, will form an undeniable team and prove to be great leaders for the future of Warner Bros. Television Productions UK.”
“We also want to thank Nick Southgate for both his Creative and strategic success during his 15 years at the company and especially during the last three years of our partnership.”
Emmerson has most recently served as CEO of Ricochet Television since January 2013, while Hungate has been chief operating officer of Shed Media Group since November 2010.
