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BY MANSHA DASWANI
Ideas That Travel
Amid the choppiness seen across all sectors of media today, the format segment is benefiting from the clear need from broadcasters and streamers for affordable, reliable entertainment shows to keep audiences and advertisers happy. The development shortcuts afforded by scripted formats in the expensive drama game are also helping to bolster the business at large. But risk aversion is apparent, as seen by the continued prominence of the megaformats through renewals and spin-offs. The big brands do keep getting bigger, and IP owners are still mining their catalogs for titles with reboot potential.
As we embarked on crafting the agenda for the inaugural edition of the TV Formats Festival, we were keen to explore how players of different sizes, from different geographies, are approaching the rewards and pitfalls in the format business today. We have a selection of global giants in the mix, with companies that are using extensive worldwide footprints to scout for new ideas and get local versions underway. We spotlight the growth opportunities in Asia in several sessions, looking at the formats trade both inbound and outbound. We have data courtesy of the team at The WIT, the research firm that crafts the popular Fresh TV sessions at conferences worldwide. And a selection of screenings to help you spot some of the best new and returning formats on the market today.
Enjoy the show!
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28
9 a.m. EDT BBC Studios’ Matt Forde
Newly promoted to president of global production at BBC Studios, Matt Forde will open the TV Formats Festival with a keynote conversation on scaling the group’s ambitions across new and returning IP.
10 a.m. EDT ITV Studios’ Mike Beale & Lisa Perrin
Taking a deep dive into ITV Studios’ format business, we’ll hear from Mike Beale, managing director of the global creative network, and Lisa Perrin, managing director of international production, on group-wide collaboration, sharing expertise and looking out for the next big thing.
11 a.m. EDT Warner Bros. International Television Production’s André Renaud
As group VP for format and finished sales at Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP), André Renaud is amplifying the division’s presence worldwide across scripted formats and entertainment properties.
12
p.m
. EDT ZDF Studios’ Ralf Rückauer
Ralf Rückauer, VP Unscripted at ZDF Studios, will share with festival delegates how the factual, scripted and kids’ powerhouse is approaching the factual-entertainment and quiz show landscapes.
Matt Forde
Lisa Perrin Mike Beale
André Renaud
Ralf Rückauer
THURSDAY, MAY 29
9 a.m. EDT Format Trends with The WIT
Tapping into a well of intelligence on trends worldwide, Caroline Servy, managing director of The WIT, will present new data on what’s hot in formats today.
10 a.m. EDT All3Media International’s Sabrina Duguet
From building a thriving scripted formats business to rolling out buzzy concepts like The Traitors , Sabrina Duguet , executive VP for the Asia Pacific at All3Media International, will weigh in on what’s driving the format acquisition business in the region.
11 a.m. EDT Asian Innovation: Riding the K-Content Wave
Jin Woo Hwang, president and co-founder of Something Special, joins the TV Formats Festival as we explore how Korean firms are tapping into the booming interest in content from the country.
12 p.m. EDT Asian Innovation: The View from Japan
Ryuji Komiya will share how Japanese broadcaster Fuji Television Network is scaling its opportunities with format buyers worldwide.
Caroline Servy
Sabrina Duguet
Jin Woo Hwang
Ryuji Komiya
Mike Beale
Managing Director,
Global Creative Network
ITV
Studios
Reporting to Julian Bellamy, managing director of ITV Studios, Mike Beale helps to drive the creative and development efforts across the group’s business globally, with a particularly active role with the U.K. and U.S. teams. He is responsible for identifying new opportunities to build ITV Studios’ creative pipeline via development deals and partnerships with format creators across the world. Beale is responsible for boosting creativity, encouraging knowledge-sharing and prioritizing the development of hit shows across 36 labels producing non-scripted content. He is also responsible for acquiring select IP from third parties into the production network. Beale joined ITV Studios in June 2011 to manage ITV Studios Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland and establish ITV Studios’ slate of formats on the global stage, including The Chase, I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, Hell’s Kitchen, Come Dine with Me and the increasingly popular global hit Love Island. Prior to joining ITV, Beale was VP of international production for NBCUniversal. His career began in television production working for a range of companies, including LWT, Bunim/Murray Productions, Hat Trick Productions and the BBC.
SESSION
Wednesday, May 28, 10 a.m. EDT Keynote
Sabrina Duguet Executive VP,
Asia Pacific
All3Media
International
Sabrina Duguet began working within distribution for Indigo Film and Television, where she was responsible for the distribution of drama series, kids’ programming, films and documentaries. She joined All3Media in 2010, becoming senior VP of international format sales, covering Asia, Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe. Beginning in 2013, Duguet led the format sales team worldwide, as well as covered format sales for several countries, including France, Germany and the Netherlands. In 2015, Duguet was appointed to her current role and relocated to Singapore in 2016 to launch and head the Asia-Pacific office for All3Media International. Her team in the region oversees the sales of completed programs and the local adaptation of formats in the region.
SESSION
Thursday, May 29, 10 a.m. EDT Keynote
Matt Forde President,
Global Production
BBC Studios
Matt Forde is responsible for overseeing a global award-winning network of producers and indie partnerships, creating, selling and adapting the best shows and brands from the U.K. as well as the next generation of hit shows for global audiences. He was elevated to his new role in May 2025.
Forde has a wealth of commercial and creative experience, having worked in both Europe and North America and through leading international teams in both sales and production. From 2018 to 2024, he served as managing director for internation al production and formats at BBC Studios, responsible for international production bases and the global formats business outside of the U.K., including the U.S., France, Germany, Australia, India, South Africa and the Nordics. From 2016 to 2018, he headed up the BBC Studios Los Angeles production office, where he led the development of the Dancing with the Stars brand. In 2018, Forde secured a coproduction partnership with Lionsgate Television to identify, co-develop and co-fund scripted formats and original intellectual property for the U.S. Prior to working in Los Angeles, Forde was executive VP of co-productions, sales and digital distribution for BBC Worldwide Americas.
SESSION
Wednesday, May 28, 9 a.m. EDT Keynote
Something Special is Korea’s first-ever format production agency. Jin Woo Hwang is an award-winning global format expert, producing more than 40 prime-time television shows and developing 112 original formats at CJ ENM. He has been a production consultant in 22 territories. Hwang is the former head of formats and content development at CJ ENM’s media content division as well as the former head of global content development at CJ ENM’s media solution division. He is certified by the government of Korea as an industry expert and is a FRAPA general board member. From 2021 to January 2025, Hwang was the chairman of the Korean Format Alliance. In 2018, Hwang was awarded a Prime Minister citation for his dedication to Korean content as an industry pioneer. Hwang’s production and development credits include Unforgettable Duet, Better Late Than Never, I Can See Your Voice, Love at First Song, Let’s Go Time-Travelers, Golden Tambourine and Top Gear Korea.
SESSION Thursday, May 29, 11 a.m. EDT Asian Innovation: Riding the K-Content Wave
Jin Woo Hwang Co-Founder, Executive Producer & President Something Special
Ryuji Komiya
Head, Unscripted
Format Sales
Fuji Television Network
Ryuji Kom iya has been with Fuji Television Network since 2005 and in his current role since 2019, working closely with Fuji’s production department, developing new formats for the international market and distributing hit formats such as Iron Chef , Hole in the Wall and Run for Money worldwide. In 2021, Fuji co-produced a format with The Story Lab called Connection/The Spin. In 2024, Fuji co-produced a format with The Gurin Company called The Swap Project.
SESSION
Thursday, May 29, 12 p.m. EDT Asian Innovation: The View from Japan
Lisa Perrin joined ITV Studios in May 2020, charged with overseeing the day-to-day running of ITV Studios’ leading production labels outside the U.K. and U.S., developing business strategy and vision and identifying growth opportunities in new and existing markets. During her tenure, she has grown the business to include the new labels Lingo Pictures in Australia, Windlight Pictures in Germany and ITV Studios Iberia.
Reporting directly to Julian Bellamy, managing director of ITV Studios, Perrin is part of the senior management team. She also works closely with the managing directors of ITV Studios Australia, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway, as well as TM Studios in France, Catt leya in Italy and Apple Tree Productions and local, international and global television networks and platforms.
Prior to joining ITV Studios, Perrin was CEO of creative networks at Endemol Shine Group (ESG). A creative TV professional with more than 25 years’ experience in program production and development, she played a pivotal role in the growth and profitability of ESG’s scripted and non-scripted production and development across 65 countries.
SESSION
Wednesday, May 28, 10 a.m. EDT Keynote
Lisa Perrin Managing Director, International Production ITV Studios
André Renaud
Group VP, Format & Finished Sales
Warner Bros.
International Television Production (WBITVP)
André Renaud leads all commercial sales and strategic activities for WBITVP’s format and finished IP globally outside of owned and invested production companies.
Based in London, Renaud joined WBITVP in November 2024. In his current role, he works closely with partners around the world, overseeing the licensing and localization of formats including The Bachelor, First Dates, Cash or Trash and The Repair Shop, as well as scripted format IPs such as The Mentalist, The Middle and The Twelve.
Prior to this, Renaud was senior VP of global format sales at BBC Studios, where he managed the licensing of formats including Dancing with the Stars to its 60th territory (Mongo lia); The Great Bake Off to its 40th (Algeria); Doctor Foster to the Philippines, Slovakia and Japan; and The 1% Club to 12 new markets, including Mexico, Greece and Ukraine.
Earlier in his career, Renaud worked at ITV Stu dios, managing content and format sales across various regions in EMEA as well as format production partnerships. His efforts introduced format brands like Come Dine with Me to Belgium and South Africa and Hell’s Kitchen to Italy.
SESSION
Wednesday, May 28, 11 a.m. EDT Keynote
Ralf Rückauer started his career as a junior creative producer at Gemini/Colon Filmproduk tion in Cologne. In 1999, he moved to German pubcaster ZDF, where he worked in the channel’s “Das kleine Fernsehspiel” department, heading up the format development lab “quantum.”
Rückauer has worked for ZDF Studios since 2003, initially as project manager for distribution and investments, with a focus on documentaries, and then as sales manager for German-speaking countries and Central and Eastern Europe. In January 2012, he was appointed head of sales and was responsible for the distribution of full-length programming. From January 2013, Rückauer headed ZDF Studios’ department for factual programming as VP. Since 2018, Rückauer has been in charge of the Unscripted department, a merger of the factual and entertainment segments. From February 2019 to December 2020, after the purchase of Off The Fence by ZDF Studios, Rückauer acted as CEO alongside founder Ellen Windemuth.
SESSION Wednesday, May 28, 12 p.m. EDT Keynote
Ralf Rückauer
VP Unscripted ZDF Studios
Caroline Servy Managing Director
The WIT
Caroline Servy joined The WIT to balance her passion for media, analysis and team management. With a specialization in Spanishspeaking markets, she has 15 years of experience in media analysis and is a regular speaker and panelist on the TV industry conference circuit, presenting views on key trends in content and the evolving role of media groups and players.
The WIT is a research company providing broadcasters, producers and distributors with information about fresh international content and programming through databases and newsletters.
SESSION
Thursday, May 29, 9 a.m. EDT Format Trends with The WIT
