European media giant Antenna Group has appointed veteran European TV executive Bert Habets, a former CEO of Germany’s RTL Group, as its CEO.
In his new role, Habets will oversee the free- and pay-TV, OTT, content, radio, digital, music, publishing and education divisions on all platforms for the group, which has operations in North America, Europe and Australia, and reaches a global audience of more than 150 million.
Antenna, which began in 1988 as a sole radio operation in Greece, recently inked a volume deal with Sony Pictures Television that covers 22 pay-TV channels and two OTT services in 12 territories. The expanding company now wants to enhance its channels with more news and entertainment and inject original, local programming. Antenna also intends to further invest in production companies across the region as well as other TV channels and OTT services.
They are also an early investor in Facebook, Twitter and Spotify, and have a wide range of other assets that include The Raine Group, Vice Media and film and television production company Imagine Entertainment.
Theodore Kyriakou, chairman of Antenna Group, in a statement underlined Habets’ “vast operational experience and strategic mindset,” which will “significantly contribute to our growth plans as we continue to embrace new technologies and new markets.”
Said Habets: “I am really thrilled to join the Antenna Group. Its strong track record in combination with its ambition to grow and lead the ongoing transformation in the media industry makes this a very exciting and interesting role. I am looking forward to working with Theo and the Antenna colleagues to embark onto new arrays of growth in these fascinating times.”
Habets has previously held CEO positions at RTL Group and RTL Nederland. Prior to those he was CFO for RTL Nederland and VP of controlling and business development for the RTL Group.