TORONTO – Veteran Canadian media exec Brad Pelman has been named CEO of The Freemantle Corporation after Demarest Films and Kilburn Media acquired investment stakes in the Toronto-based company.
Financial terms were not disclosed in the announcement, which described the move as part of a larger, ongoing media build-out strategy for U.S. film financiers Demarest and Kilburn. Pelman, a former Maple Pictures and Alliance Films executive, also acquired an investment stake in Freemantle.
“I am excited by the continuity and new growth opportunities that this equity investment provides”, said Randy Zalken, who will continue as president, in the news release. “With the introduction of Brad Pelman to the management team as CEO, The Fremantle Corporation’s potential will be realized.”
“This transaction adds yet one more high-quality business to our growing platform of entertainment companies and ventures”, added Demarest Films co-founder Sam Englebardt and Kilburn Media founder Mark Manuel, in a joint statement. “It fits very well into our strategic plan for cost-effective expansion, allowing us to deploy more of our investment capital in building growth through operations.”
The Fremantle Corporation manages over 1000 television and film programs representing more than 5000 hours of content, including Agnes Nixon’s iconic All My Children daytime drama, the annual Tony Awards, and the family series Black Beauty. It also distributes factual and lifestyle shows, films, drama and documentary series internationally.
