Sony Pictures Television has appointed Matthew Justice as executive VP and head of U.K. and Europe.
In the newly created role, he will report into Wayne Garvie, president of International Productions. Justice will directly manage SPT’s international studio operations and European co-productions business, as well as work closely with SPT International Production’s wholly-owned and joint venture production companies in the region, which includes Bad Wolf, Eleven Films and Left Bank Pictures.
Justice most recently served as managing director at ITV Studios-backed Big Talk. He will start at SPT later this year.
Garvie said: “Matthew is a highly respected figure in the U.K. television and film industry — together he and Kenton Allen have built Big Talk into a significant international player. A smart operator, a strategic thinker and, just as importantly, a very good person, Matthew brings just what we need to build our UK and Europe business into an even greater force. Everyone at Sony and our labels are really excited about him joining the team.”
Justice added: “Joining Wayne and the team at SPT is an opportunity that dreams are made of. The SPT labels are outstanding, so it is a rare honor to get to work with them and the people behind them. Helping to grow the SPT U.K. and European business is an extremely appetizing prospect and I cannot wait to get stuck in. I leave Big Talk, my home for the past 16 years, in the very best of hands and will look on with admiration and pride as they continue to excel in everything they do.”
As head of U.K. and Europe, Justice will work with the MDs and CEOs of these companies as well as Eleventh Hour Films, Blueprint TV, Fable Pictures, Stellify Media and France-based The Satisfaction Group, which SPT launched a joint venture with in 2020. He will also oversee the studio’s senior international production creative team.
Justice has served as managing director at Big Talk since 2007, when he joined with Allen to co-run the award-winning film and television production company, originally founded in 1994.
Over the last 16 years, Justice and the team have been responsible for a significant slate of films (“Attack the Block,” “Sightseers,” “Cuban Fury” and “Man Up”) and popular TV shows (including “Free Agents,” “Raised by Wolves,” “Cold Feet” and “Friday Night Dinner”).
Prior to joining Big Talk, in 2002 Justice founded his own production company, Lunar Films, where he produced David Mackenzie’s Berlin Silver Bear-winning “Hallam Foe,” and in 2005 Cedric Klapisch’s multiple César-winning comedy drama “Russian Dolls.”