Endemol Shine Germany – together with their joint venture partners Max Wiedemann and Quirin Berg – announces sale of W&B TV to the media company LEONINE and founds independent company in Berlin under the leadership of W&B Managing Director Nanni Erben.

Endemol Shine Germany Group, Max Wiedemann and Quirin Berg, today announced they have entered into an agreement to sell joint venture Wiedemann and Berg Television (W&B TV) to LEONINE, the KKR-backed German media company formed through the merger of Tele München Group, Universum Film, i&u TV, and who earlier this year acquired the film division of Wiedemann & Berg (W&B Film). Max Wiedemann and Quirin Berg remain in their current roles as Managing Directors, W&B TV respectively in the Munich-based office of the company, within the LEONINE media group.

At the same time, Endemol Shine Germany takes over one hundred percent of the assets of W&B TV’s Berlin-based business, founding a new (as yet unnamed) scripted company. Nanni Erben, also currently Managing Director of W&B TV, will lead the new entity within Endemol Shine Germany.

In her time at W&B TV, Erben has produced more than 50 productions including Tatort: Meta for which she was awarded the Grimme-Special Award for Direction and Screenplay in addition to Tatort: Dresden, Tatort: Weimar, Fr. Jordan stellt gleich, Ottilie Faber von Castell and Marie fängt Feuer. Erben and her Berlin team will continue to produce for the domestic and international market, working closely with Endemol Shine Group’s network of drama production companies.

Magnus Kastner, CEO of Endemol Shine Germany: “With the amazing Nanni Erben on board, the outstanding experience and expertise of her team, and our international production colleagues to collaborate with, we are well placed to build on the success story from Berlin and I personally am happily looking forward to an exciting cooperation with Nanni. We want to warmly thank Max and Quirin for the years spent together and wish them all the best for the future.”

Nanni Erben: “I would like to thank Quirin and Max and the entire Wiedemann & Berg team for the exciting and inspiring time and for the great collaboration. I am now looking forward to the new challenges that I will be facing as managing director of the newly founded Berlin company. I would particularly like to thank Magnus Kastner and Endemol Shine for the trust in me. Together with my fantastic team, we will continue to stand for a successful and extraordinary program.”

Max Wiedemann and Quirin Berg: “Our joint venture has been a very successful chapter for Endemol Shine, as well as us. We want to thank Magnus Kastner, Ute März, Boudewijn Beusmans, Sophie Turner-Laing and all colleagues at Endemol Shine for the excellent partnership. With great appreciation and respect, we look at the common achievements, for which our thanks go to Nanni Erben, our amazing team and our many companions in particular. We all have exciting years ahead of us and we are looking forward to working with KKR and Fred Kogel and to our shared vision for LEONINE.”

The transaction is expected to close in early 2020, subject to regulatory approvals and compliance with customary closing conditions.