With the completion of the $8 billion merger between Banijay and All3Media, as expected Banijay Americas CEO Ben Samek is in line to oversee the combined company’s U.S. entity.
News comes after Banijay and All3Media, which described their merger as “the world’s largest independent production company,” finalized their deal earlier this month. The newly renamed Banijay Entertainment will be based in London and jointly owned by Banijay Group and RedBird IMI, each holding a 50% stake. Jeff Zucker is chairman, Marco Bassetti is CEO and Jane Turton is deputy CEO.
Samek has served as CEO of Banijay Americas since February 2023; before that, he had been president and chief operating officer of Banijay Americas since 2018. Banijay Americas’ many production labels include top unscripted producers such as Endemol Shine North America, Bunim/Murray Productions, Truly Original, 51 Minds, Authentic Entertainment, Endemol Shine Boomdog and Banijay Mexico.
Among Samek’s recent accomplishments, he spearheaded the expansion of “Somebody Feed Phil” from Netflix into a broader deal at YouTube. He’s also spearheaded an expansion in immersive experiences, taking IP into another realm.
Before his roles at Banijay, served in a number of roles at Endemol USA and Endemol Shine North America, helping with the transition following Banijay’s acquisition of Endemol Shine Group.
Samek began his career at Bunim/Murray Productions and later won an Emmy as a producer on “The Amazing Race.” He then went on to become COO of 51 Minds Entertainment.
Major Banijay Americas franchises under Samek’s domain include “Big Brother,” “MasterChef,” “MasterChef Junior,” “Below Deck,” “Below Deck Mediterranean,” “The Challenge,” “Deal or No Deal Island” and “Lego Masters.” All3Media Americas has been less active in recent years, but All3Media has a huge hit in the U.S. from its Studio Lambert subsidiary, Peacock’s “The Traitors.”