Banijay Nordic appoints new CEO at Norwegian scripted label Rubicon

Banijay Nordic announced a new senior appointment at Norwegian scripted label Rubicon, with Håkon Briseid taking up the role of Chief Executive Officer. Briseid joins Rubicon from Norway’s Monster, where he has held responsibility for the company’s scripted division for over a decade. During his time at Monster, Briseid has executive produced numerous hit dramas including “The Half Brother,” “Nobel,” “Borderliner,” “Young&Promising,” “Pørni,” and upcoming “Furia”.

In his position at Rubicon, Håkon Briseid will report to Banijay Nordic’s CEO, Jacob Houlind, and the region’s Head of Scripted, Johannes Jensen. With a remit to further grow Rubicon’s output, he will work with creative leaders Anne Bjørnstad and Eilif Skodvin on building the company’s line-up of critically-acclaimed, original content for both the Norwegian and international market. Briseid will take up the position early in 2022.

Rubicon is behind a slate of freshly created scripted productions, including “Beforeigners,” which is available across HBO Europe territories, and via HBO Max in the United States. Season two will launch later this year with Paul Kaye, Ann Akin, Jade Anouka, Billy Postlethwaite, and Philip Rosch joining the cast.

“Sixteen years at Monster speaks for itself. It has been a fantastic ride and I am extremely proud of my colleagues and the upcoming slate. This is an opportunity I could not let go, as I have long-admired Rubicon’s slate of scripted series which shines a light on topics in the the local and international zeitgeist. Eilif and Anne have a distinctive voice, often with a satirical twist, allowing the audience to connect with characters in a unique way. I look forward to working with them and the rest of the talented team at Rubicon, as well as joining the unrivalled community of scripted producers at Banijay,”  Håkon Briseid commented.

Anne Bjørnstad and Eilif Skodvin, Creative Directors at Rubicon, added: “We’re delighted Håkon has decided to join Rubicon as our CEO. He has a deep understanding of the local and global market, and it’s brilliant to have a well-respected leader team up with us, especially with a second season of Beforeigners on the horizon, and as we enter the next phase of creating new projects for our eclectic slate”.

Jacob Houlind, CEO at Banijay Nordic, declared: “Nordic scripted content continues to take the world by storm, and we are incredibly proud of Rubicon’s productions. This appointment cements the company’s position as an industry trailbrazer”.

Lastly, Johannes Jensen, Group Head of Scripted Banijay Nordic, said: “Håkon Briseid is a proven scripted leader and the ideal person to join Eilif and Anne as they continue to create premium, original programming for Norway and beyond”.