Tag Archives: Owain Walbyoff

Banijay launches its licensing and merchandising division Banijay Brands

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Banijay today announces the launch of Banijay Brands, a division dedicated to all areas of commercial activity, including brand licensing, merchandising, gaming, gambling, and music. The division will be led by the newly appointed chief commercial officer, Owain Walbyoff.

The new operation will represent an extensive and diverse portfolio covering entertainment, scripted animation, game shows, and kids, from MasterChef, Peaky Blinders and Deal or No Deal, to Simon’s Cat, Mr Bean, and Crystal Maze.

Following the recent acquisition, Jane Smith, group director, brand licensing will lead the licensing area, overseeing key brands from the world’s largest international content catalogue, comprising of more than 88,000 hours of original programming. She will also work with the network of teams in local markets to further expand the business.

Smith joined Endemol Shine in 2018, where she has substantially driven the growth of properties such as MasterChef, Peaky Blinders and Simon’s Cat within licensing and merchandising. 

Banijay Brands will launch at next month’s Festival of Licensing with senior executives available for meetings at the virtual conference.

Walbyoff, said: “Without a doubt we are a market leader in this space, and I look forward to seeing how we bolster the IP even further. Jane is a highly-experienced, strategic executive with vast industry knowledge, and with some of the world’s biggest brands in our portfolio, the possibilities are endless.” 

Jane Smith, group director, brand licensing of Banijay Brands, added: “Banijay Brands represents an incredibly compelling catalogue of globally-renowned, cross-genre brands, which we will be bringing to the Festival of Licensing. By partnering with the very best licensees in the business, we aim to create innovative and impressive products that our audiences and fans will love.”

The Banijay Brands portfolio now includes MasterChef, Temptation Island, Peaky Blinders, Survivor, Deal or No Deal, The Inbetweeners, Big Brother, Mister Maker, Operation Triunfo, Eat Well for Less, Simon’s Cat, Mr Bean, Don’t, Sunday Brunch, Tipping Point, The Biggest Loser, Ready Steady Cook, Black Mirror, Miss France, Maddie’s Do You Know?, Wipeout and Crystal Maze.

Banijay appoints new chief commercial officer to oversee its major licensing push

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Banijay has appointed a new chief commercial officer in the form of Owain Walbyoff to be based in the firm’s London unit in a newly devised role that will span licensing, merchandising, gaming, gambling, and music. Walbyoff will take up the position as of September 1st this year.

Walbyoff has spent almost 20 years working across sales and management in the licensing, media and technology space. In his most recent role in the technology industry, he oversaw licensing, R&D partnerships, and marketing activity, working with brands like LVMH, and Formula 1. 

In 2018, Walbyoff provided consultancy to ITV, helping with strategy and business development across its gaming, gambling, and app portfolio. He also worked with the licensing team on its vast IP offering. Prior to this, he was managing director for Endemol Shine Group’s global licensing business. There he took care of sales and operations for gaming, gambling, licensing and merchandising across its 20-country-strong footprint. 

Reporting to Banijay’s COO, Peter Langenberg, Walbyoff will now devise and execute the group’s overarching licensing strategy and will manage all teams across merchandising, brand licensing, gaming and gambling, and music.

Peter Langenberg said: “Owain has an incredibly strong track-record in the commercial space. With a CV spanning multiple genres and industries, he brings a wealth of knowledge across all disciplines and, having inked a number of stand-out deals in his career, we have no doubt he will be invaluable in strengthening our IP monetisation efforts moving forwards.

“As we build one of the world’s largest content catalogues, we were after a strong entrepreneurial and commercial mind to lead in this area and in him, we have found just that.”

Walbyoff added: “In some ways, it feels like a return and in others, a new, exciting adventure. With an abundance of world-renowned, commercially viable assets, a healthy pipeline of new IP and the most talented combined team, I feel privileged to be leading this department through its next phase.

“Historically, this portfolio has already performed incredibly, so let’s see where we can take it to next.”

The Banijay portfolio which Walbyoff will now represent comprises Masterchef, Deal or No Deal, Peaky Blinders, Temptation Island, Survivor, Tipping Point, Big Brother, Operation Triunfo, Simon’s Cat, Mr Bean, The Biggest Loser, Ready Steady Cook, Black Mirror, Miss France, Eat Well for Less and Crystal Maze.