MUMBAI: European entertainment network RTL Group has appointed C?cile Frot-Coutaz as CEO of television format creator and distribution company FremantleMedia.

Cecile will be based in London and take charge from 1 July 2012.

C?cile, currently FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) CEO, will succeed Tony Cohen who will step down to focus on his non-executive work.

RTL Group co-CEO Guillaume de Posch together with Anke Sch?ferkordt said, "After being with the group for 17 years, C?cile has the vision and leadership that are needed to further grow FremantleMedia. She brings expertise and drive from the largest TV market in the world and combines her creative skills as a producer with a sharp business perspective. I am very happy to welcome her at the helm of RTL Group?s production arm."

Incidentally, Cohen transformed FremantleMedia from a collection of individual entities into a global content power house. Under his leadership, the company has become the pre-eminent producer of the hit prime-time global entertainment formats in dozens of countries, a top distributor and brand licensor, and a rapidly growing force in online and mobile gaming, branded entertainment and kids.

Cohen said, "FremantleMedia?s extraordinary creative and commercial achievements this last decade have been due to the talent and skill of its leadership team and staff, to our great partnerships with major talent and to our shareholder?s unwavering support. I am grateful to them all and to have been part of the company?s amazing journey."

As the FremantleMedia North America CEO, C?cile currentlyoversees the development, production and business operations of over 600 hours of network, cable and syndicated programming. Under her guidance, FMNA currently produces some of the most innovative and successful event entertainment on television, including the multiple Emmy-nominated musical/reality show American Idol on the Fox network. Other titles produced by FMNA are The X Factor (Fox), America?s Got Talent (NBC), Family Feud (syndicated), The Price Is Right (CBS), and the scripted series The Wedding Band.

MUMBAI: Thinkbox has announced that European entertainment network RTL Group and e UK entertainment and communications company Virgin Media have joined the organisation as Associate Members.

RTL Group and Virgin Media are Thinkbox?s first Associate Members, which entails consultation and involvement across Thinkbox activities and with Thinkbox?s working groups. Full shareholder status is currently reserved for TV broadcasters and their sales representatives.

Thinkbox CEO Tess Alps said, ?We?re delighted that both RTL and Virgin Media have decided to support Thinkbox?s mission by becoming our first Associate Members. We?re also grateful for the acknowledgement of the work we are doing and their desire to help us do more to explain the commercial opportunities in TV?s rapidly developing future, be that TV on-demand, addressable advertising or product placement. We look forward to working with them and our shareholders to continue helping advertisers enjoy the unparalleled success that TV advertising, in all its forms, brings.?

VMDS for Virgin Media commercial director Mark Brandon said, ?Virgin Media is pleased to become an Associate Member of Thinkbox. The TV advertising value chain is evolving fast, with next generation TV platforms such as Virgin Media playing an increasingly prominent role in this evolution. We look forward to bringing our content knowledge, on demand expertise and business perspective to Thinkbox.?

Thinkbox?s shareholders are Channel 4, ITV, Sky Media, Turner Media Innovations and UKTV. Thinkbox represents over 90 per cent of the commercial TV market in the UK through its shareholders? owned and partner channels.