Richard Halliwell, CEO of NENT Studios UK
DRG, the London-based content development, funding, and distribution business owned by Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group), the Nordic region’s streaming company, has now been incorporated into NENT Studios UK and rebranded under the same banner.
Richard Halliwell, previously CEO of DRG and Managing Director of NENT Studios UK, has now been appointed as CEO of NENT Studios UK to take over from Jakob Mejlhede Andersen, who left the business in February.
NENT Studios UK was launched in September 2019 as part of NENT Group’s NENT Studios content creation, production and distribution business, which comprises 32 companies in 17 countries. NENT Studios UK is focused on the development, funding, production and distribution of both scripted and unscripted content.
NENT Studios UK will make investments in the UK and internationally, in order to deliver high quality content for NENT Group’s fast growing streaming service Viaplay, and will partner with other media companies, broadcasters and platforms around the world to do so. Moreover, NENT Studios UK will work with new production partners, as well as the independent producers with whom DRG already has long-standing relationships, and will be run from DRG’s current offices in central London.
“NENT Group has a long-term commitment to the UK, which is a truly global content centre. Bringing DRG fully into NENT Studios UK will create fantastic new opportunities, both for the team and for our current and future partners. I am delighted to be at the helm of this ambitious new local studio, which has the strategic vision, resources, talent and creative verve to deliver a raft of stand-out scripted and unscripted content to the international marketplace. We have a number of exciting projects in advanced development and anticipate being able to announce our first scripted commission in the next few weeks,” said Richard Halliwell, CEO of NENT Studios UK.
Anders Jensen, NENT Group President and CEO, added: “The high subscriber intake and viewing levels we have seen at Viaplay, and the clear demand for high quality scripted drama from both Viaplay and other media companies around the world, have emphasised the importance of the reorganisation of NENT Studios. Viaplay and others want to invest more in scripted drama, so this is where we are focusing our resources. The international expansion of Viaplay will only increase this demand further. Our focus is on Viaplay and the opportunity to produce more original shows that are popular with viewers in the Nordics and around the world”.