Mark Newton appointed to executive role at FremantleMedia

FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME), the commercial arm of FremantleMedia has announced the promotion of Mark Newton to Executive Vice President, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW).
The role sees Newton expand his remit to additionally manage FremantleMedia’s ancillary rights business in the UK, as part of the continuing evolution of the company’s international commercial operations.
In this position, Newton will oversee the exploitation of FremantleMedia’s many strong brands off screen and will be responsible for developing product and promotional associations that enhance and extend consumers’ experience of each property, including brand licensing, music publishing, participation TV, online and interactive, sponsorship, live events and telephony across Europe (excluding Germany), Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Newton, who has been promoted from his previous role as Senior Vice President, will continue to be based in Hilversum and will report to Olivier Gers, General Manager, FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide.
Newton takes over FLW’s UK business from Claire Tavernier who joins FremantleMedia’s recently created FMX division, which focuses on cross-platform projects. As a result, Dominic Burns, Vice President, Licensing, UK will report to Newton. Birgit Hoensch, Vice President, Licensing, Germany, who currently reports to Tavernier, will report directly to Gers and will continue to manage major music publishing, merchandising and promotional programmes to support FremantleMedia’s international and local German programme brands including the country’s longest running daily drama series, Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten, hit shows Bianca, Verbotene Liebe and Unter Uns and Deutschland Sucht Den Superstar, the local version of the smash-hit Idols format.
Gers commented: “Mark has done a great job in growing FLW’s existing reputation worldwide and during his time with the company, he has achieved some tremendous international successes such as the launch of our participation TV venture, Quizmania, both in Australia and Poland. This is an extremely exciting time for FME and Mark’s appointment is indicative of the ever increasing importance of our ancillary rights business around the world. I am delighted that Mark has agreed to take on this role to help lead FLW to the next level and to integrate further with the rest of the FME businesses.”
Newton began his career in advertising and B2B direct marketing in the UK, working on accounts for brands such as Tobler Suchard, Citi Group and Mobil Plastics. Prior to joining FremantleMedia in 1997, he worked for ten years in the telecoms industry, both for equipment manufacturers and value-added service suppliers.
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