Entertainment One has reshaped its EMEA distribution team under Dan Gopal with a new structure, new hires, and two sales execs exiting.
Gopal is one of three regional distribution EVPs and oversees Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for eOne, which is being acquired by Hasbro in a $4 billion deal. He told Variety that the changes to the distribution team will ensure that it is in the right shape for the fast-changing international business.
In London, Andre Le Brocquy has joined eOne, after stints at A+E Networks and Studiocanal, as sales manager covering France. He reports to Patrick Roberts, who has added oversight of France to his existing responsibilities for the U.K. and Ireland.
Raquel Villa Rodriguez also expands her portfolio, adding Greece, Israel and Turkey to Iberia, which she already oversaw. Sara Ortegón reports to her as sales executive. Former Endemol Shine sales exec Emma Knight has joined recently as sales manager covering the Middle East and North Africa, reporting to Paola Tonella, director of international sales for the region, as well as Italy and Benelux. Tonella joined eOne last year after a long stint at the BBC’s sales arm.
Another new hire is Suzanne Flowerday. The former Sky Vision exec has come on board as sales manager for the CEE/CIS regions, reporting to Carolina Den Baas, director of sales for those territories, as well as Scandinavia.
Toby Melling, who joined eOne in 2016 as a sales VP, has exited, as has Tess Charman, who has since landed a role at MGM.
The distribution business is changing and has become much more involved than managing ongoing relationships with clients who have output deals, which are now a rarity. Sales execs now need to work up deals with the plethora of new AVOD and SVOD platforms and manage traditional clients’ requirements as they roll out their own on-demand services. Gopal said the new structure gives eOne more sales firepower on that shifting landscape.
The new look for the EMEA team follows previously announced changes at the Asia Pacific and Americas units under Joyce Yeung and Dan Loewy respectively. The regional bosses all report to Stuart Baxter, the former Warner Bros. and Sony exec who is president of distribution at eOne.
Former Legendary exec Alex Oe has joined Yeung’s team as sales director for Japan, Korea and pan-Asia. Martine Druelle-Ireland joined earlier in the year as VP of sales for Australasia and India. Loewy added former BBC Studios exec David Hanono to his team over the summer as VP of sales for Latin America, working out of Miami.
At Mipcom, eOne got behind drama series including “Deputy.” The first deals for the Stephen Dorff modern-day Western procedural were announced at the market, ahead of its launch on Fox in the U.S. Other eOne drama titles in Cannes included “Nurses” and Tim Minchin project “Upright.”