A+E Networks has made two high-profile appointments in London as part of an initiative to expand its international coproduction activities.
Ninder Billing is appointed VP of unscripted co-productions international. Alexandra Finlay is appointed VP scripted co-productions international. Both report to Patrick Vien, group MD, A+E International.
Billing was previously creative director at Darlow Smithson Productions, leading the premium factual slate focusing on streamer, international and U.K. terrestrial unscripted output and securing six new unscripted series. Prior to DSP, she was head of specialist factual at The Garden where she launched and oversaw BAFTA-nominated “Operation Live” for Channel 5, “Police Tapes” for ITV and “The Unshockable Dr Ronx” for the BBC.
Finlay spent her previous five years at Shaftesbury as VP creative and co-productions, where her credits include the upcoming comedy drama “SisterS” for IFC/Sundance, Crave and RTE by Sarah Goldberg and Susan Stanley. Prior to that she was head of acquisitions and co-productions at broadcaster UKTV.
They are expected to be responsible for identifying opportunities with global appeal and overseeing development and production, working in close collaboration with the company’s extensive network of producers, creatives and commissioning partners.
“They join A+E Networks at a time when co-productions are growing in global appeal, and the company is poised to play a leadership role in the industry,” said Vien. “Our success with such hit series as ‘Miss Scarlet and the Duke’ (PBS Masterpiece); ‘Red Election’ (Disney+ EMEA) and ‘North Sea Connection’ (BBC), and the premium doc series ‘Damien Lewis: Spy Wars’ (Paramount+), is a testament to our ambition to work with the best talented teams worldwide,” he added.
