Pilar Blasco, CEO of Banijay Iberia
Banijay Iberia outlined the revised local management team for its footprint in Spain and Portugal. Under the leadership of its CEO, Pilar Blasco, the new executive group comprises CFO and COO, Javier García; International and Business Affairs Director, María Pinilla; Director of Communication, Pilar Serrano; Director of Digital Strategy, Felipe Jiménez Luna; Legal Director, Marta Ferrando; Systems Director, Miguel Ángel Hernández; and Commercial Director, Jaume Vilalta.
The Iberian company that includes Cuarzo Producciones, Diagonal TV, Endemol Portugal, Gestmusic, Magnolia, Shine Iberia, Tuiwok Estudios and Zeppelin, has offices in Madrid, Barcelona, La Coruña, and Lisbon. The local group is behind some of the region’s best entertainment brands (“MasterChef,” “Temptation Island,” “Big Brother,” “Operación Triunfo”), new international IP (“Your Face Sounds Familiar,” “The Bridge”) and original scripted titles (“Hierro,” “Heirs to the land,” “Auga Seca,” “Amar Es Para Siempre,” “The Idhún Chronicles”), amongst many other formats and titles.
“The new management team perfectly represents the richness of talent we have across the whole of Banijay Iberia. Creativity, commitment, versatility, responsibility and passion are part of our DNA and are the key to our past, present and future successes. I am proud to have this new team by my side as we continue to grow the business across both territories,” commented Pilar Blasco, CEO of Banijay Iberia.
Banijay Iberia’s production entities will continue to operate independently and under the direction of Juanra Gonzalo (Cuarzo Producciones), Macarena Rey (Shine Iberia and Endemol Portugal), Tinet Rubira (Gestmusic), Jaume Banacolocha (Diagonal TV), Amparo Castellano (Zeppelin and Magnolia), and Felipe Jiménez Luna (Tuiwok Estudios). Elsewhere, DLO Producciones continues to be led by José Manuel Lorenzo, and Portocabo, by Alfonso Blanco.
● BANIJAY IBERIA APPOINTMENTS
▸ JAVIER GARCÍA, CFO and COO of Banijay Iberia
After starting his career at PwC and working in its offices in Mexico City, Glasgow and Barcelona, Javier joined the management control area of the Telefónica Group in 2000. Five years later, he began his professional career at Endemol, first at its headquarters in the Netherlands, where he was appointed CFO of Endemol Spain, and later, at its headquarters in Madrid where, since 2015, he has held the position of CFO and COO for Endemol Shine Iberia.
▸ MARÍA PINILLA, International and Business Affairs Director of Banijay Iberia
With a background in business administration and with degrees in both France and the US, Maria started her career in TV in 1997, after several years in strategic management consultancy. As Head of Acquisitions and International at Endemol Shine Iberia, she has worked with all major distributors to bring new format adaptations to Spanish audiences. Driving major international achievements, highlights include global rollouts of "Your Face Sounds Familiar" and most recently "The Bridge". Since 2018, she has stepped up to handling Business Affairs for all brands across Endemol Shine Iberia, negotiating deals with all major streamers and international partners/co-producers.
▸ PILAR SERRANO, Director of Communication of Banijay Iberia
With a degree in Journalism from the Complutense University of Madrid, and a Master's degree in Radio and Television from the Camilo José Cela University, Pilar's professional career has been spent mostly within the audiovisual world. Starting at AMC Networks International, where she worked on the communication strategy for their production company in Spain and Portugal, she later joined Movistar+, where she was responsible for TV channel #0's entertainment programmes, as well as original series launches, large international formats and strategic agreements. Since 2018, she has been the Director of Communication for Zeppelin, a position she will continue in parallel with this new appointment.
▸ FELIPE JIMÉNEZ LUNA, Director of Digital Strategy of Banijay Iberia
With more than 25 years’ experience as a writer, creator and director of films and series, Felipe’s career has garnered the recognition of the public and critics alike, achieving prestigious national and international awards. Since 2012, he has directed Tuiwok Estudios, the specialized digital video division in content creation and channel management for different platforms such as YouTube, Playz, Mtmad and Flooxer, as well as for clients such as RTVE, Grupo Planeta and Coca-Cola. Felipe is one of the architects of the success of the "SKAM Spain" series, produced by Movistar+ in collaboration with Zeppelin, where he collaborated as New Media Director.
▸ MARTA FERRANDO, Legal Director of Banijay Iberia
With a degree in Law and a diploma in Tourism, Marta began her professional career in the hotel sector, in a prestigious hotel chain with a wide presence in Spain. Later, and after practicing as an independent lawyer for several years, she joined Gestmusic where she has been Legal Director for the past 14 years. In 2018, she expanded the scope of her activity, assuming the responsibilities for the whole Endemol Shine Iberia group.
▸ MIGUEL ÁNGEL HERNÁNDEZ, Systems Director of Banijay Iberia
With more than 20 years’ experience in Technology, Miguel Ángel joined Zeppelin in 2011 as head of IT from Sacyr Vallehermoso. In 2015, he was appointed Systems Director of Endemol Shine Iberia, taking charge of integrating the systems of those companies belonging to the group in Spain and Portugal. He is also part of the Privacy and Security Committee, which ensures compliance with legal policies and regulations such as the GDPR.
▸ JAUME VILALTA, Comercial Director of Banijay Iberia
With a degree in Art History from the University of Barcelona and a Master’s Degree in Marketing Management from ESADE, Jaume began his professional career in the Bassat Ogilvy & Mather group, working for numerous major brands. In 2003, he joined Gestmusic as Commercial Director, later assuming the same responsibility in Endemol Spain for all group companies and in Endemol International for companies in southern Europe, joining its Global Commercial Board in 2012. Jaume will participate actively in the implementation of Endemol Beyond in Spain and Latin America. Since 2015, he has held the position of Commercial Director of Endemol Shine Iberia.