MUMBAI: Television format crestor and distributor Fremantle has announced that David Ellender who is currently Fremantle International Distribution (FID) MD, has been promoted.

He is now FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO. He also joins the company’s operating board. Ellender will now oversee both FID and FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW) – the two commercial divisions that report into FremantleMedia Enterprises. FID has a global network of sales offices and licenses over 19,000 hours of programming including American Idol, The Apprentice: Donald Trump, Project Runway and Jamie Oliver series to 150 countries worldwide as well as handling DVD exploitation through Fremantle Home Entertainment.

FLW exploits the company’s brands including Idols, The X Factor and The Apprentice across multiple off-screen platforms including merchandising campaigns, interactive and wireless support and music publishing.
Under Ellender’s leadership FremantleMedia Enterprises will continue to build on its position and its ability to exploit brands in partnership with FremantleMedia’s international network of 25 production companies around the world. FremantleMedia Enterprises is already a substantial contributor to FremantleMedia’s overall profitability.

FremantleMedia CEO Tony Cohen, said: “David has led FID superbly over the last few years, turning it into a distinctive and very profitable distributor of a huge range of factual, entertainment and scripted programming, representing both leading independent producers as well as our own extensive catalogue. He has been responsible for a great turnaround in the division’s operations and his promotion is highly deserved. FLW has also been one of the great success stories of our company in the last few years, both commercially and in the great scope of its activities, from traditional licensing through to telephony and interactive. FLW has an outstanding management team and is now one of the world leaders in its field.”

Ellender says, “I am very proud of my achievements strengthening FID’s portfolio of programming over the last few years and building up a superb team of sales executives. We have worked very hard to establish FID as a leading international distribution company. I am grateful for the opportunity to oversee FLW and look forward to increasing Enterprises contribution to the company going forward.”