Banijay Entertainment has confirmed its post-merger leadership for the Americas, naming Ben Samek CEO of Banijay America. The announcement also introduces Banijay Latin America, led by Laurens Drillich, and moves the centralized production services business Turnkey Studio Services under the US operation.
Samek will report to Banijay Entertainment deputy CEO Jane Turton. Justin Medeiros and Jacob Cohen-Holmes, who led a similar production services business inside All3Media America, will run Turnkey as executive VP of production and head of current programming.
The confirmation comes after RedBird IMI and Banijay Group merged Banijay Entertainment with All3Media earlier this year. Jeff Zucker serves as chairman, Marco Bassetti as CEO and Turton as deputy CEO.
The combined US footprint
Samek has led Banijay Americas as CEO since February 2023 and previously served as president and chief operating officer from 2018. The integration brings together one of unscripted television’s deepest portfolios.
- Existing Banijay Americas franchises include Big Brother, MasterChef, Below Deck, Summer House, The Challenge, Deal or No Deal Island and Lego Masters.
- All3Media adds Studio Lambert labels and formats, including The Traitors.
- Turnkey Studio Services will support Banijay Entertainment producers globally, including Studio Lambert.
Samek framed the merger around scale and creative discipline. “Both businesses were built on the same principle, to back exceptional producers and bold ideas,” he said. The goal, he added, is enduring franchises that can travel across platforms and experiences.
Why this matters for media buyers
The restructuring is not an org-chart story for buyers; it changes how much repeatable, brand-safe unscripted inventory sits under one strategic umbrella. For streamers and ad-supported platforms, these formats are dependable engagement engines and sponsorship vehicles.
Samek’s recent track record shows the direction of travel. He expanded Somebody Feed Phil from its Netflix home into a broader deal at YouTube, and pushed IP into immersive experiences. That cross-platform instinct matters when planning campaigns around formats rather than single-platform windows.
Turnkey’s new role points to standardized production support across labels, which can speed up delivery and make the combined pipeline easier to plan against.
What to watch next
Buyers should map the coming slate early rather than reacting at premiere. Upcoming titles include Simon Says, Predator vs. Prey with Alan Ritchson and Arizona Hot for Netflix, plus the new season of Somebody Feed Phil for YouTube.
The Latin America division is another signal. Regional production hubs can shift cost structures and create new local buyers for formats that have already proven themselves in the US.
Source: Variety
