European production and distribution powerhouse Newen Studios has named Pierre Branco, the former country manager of Warner Bros Discovery for France, Benelux, and Africa, as its new Chief Executive Officer. Branco will assume his role at Newen Studios in April, succeeding Romain Bessi, who led the company’s expansion over a six-year tenure. In conjunction with Branco’s appointment, Rodolphe Belmer, TF1’s Chairman and CEO, will become the Chairman of Newen Studios.
Branco’s responsibilities will include collaboration with French and international partners, spanning traditional broadcasters and media platforms both domestically and abroad. During a transitional period of six months, Bessi will continue to collaborate with Belmer at TF1 Group to support ongoing developments.
Belmer expressed gratitude to Romain Bessi for elevating Newen Studios to European prominence and acknowledged the challenging competitive landscape within the industry. He commended Branco for his business acumen and strategic prowess, citing his distinguished career at a leading U.S. studio.
With 17 years of experience at Warner Bros, Branco played a pivotal role in executing the group’s international strategy across TV, digital, and streaming platforms. His leadership at WBD France resulted in successful French cinema releases, including “Simone, le voyage du siècle,” which emerged as one of the highest-grossing French films at the box office in 2022.
Owned by TF1 Group, France’s leading commercial network, Newen Studios operates in 11 countries and comprises 50 labels. The studio has a rich history of producing over 4,000 hours of content and distributing 12,000 hours of programs across its catalog.
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