Lionel Uzan is succeeding Pascal Breton as president of Federation Studios, the Paris-based group behind French spy series The Bureau. The leadership change comes alongside a planned capital increase that would give Montefiore and the group’s financial backers majority control when the deal closes, according to Variety. Source
Breton is changing seats, not disappearing from the credits. He becomes chair of the supervisory board and remains involved as both a shareholder and a producer. Uzan will be supported by an executive board comprising Éric Broet, Cosette Liebgott, Simona Rapino and Chiraz Zribi. SourceSource
Federation says the capital increase is intended to strengthen its equity, substantially reduce debt and provide resources for faster growth, Variety reports. Source
The investor Federation wanted to replace
Deadline recalls Breton saying in 2025 that “we want to replace Montefiore and find a stronger partner for the future.” Under the new plan, Montefiore instead joins the financial backers set to hold majority control. That’s quite a rewrite of the partner search. SourceSource
Montefiore previously held a 33% stake and invested €50 million in Federation in 2021, according to Deadline. Source
Federation also says it will concentrate on scripted programming and the markets it considers most promising. The group brings together more than 30 production companies across seven countries, according to Variety. Source
Neither report specifies the amount of new capital, the size of the planned debt reduction, the final ownership percentages or a closing date. SourceSource
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