The acquisitions, announced in December 2012, add 12 TV networks, as well as leading radio stations and several digital brands, to Discovery’s existing portfolio of eight brands in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
They will form a combined regional business known as SBS Discovery Media.
Alongside the closing of the transaction, Discovery has announced the appointment of Henrik Ravn as president and MD of the newly combined SBS Discovery Media business, including Discovery’s and SBS’s networks and operations in the Nordic region.
Ravn who joined SBS in November 2003 as CEO of the TV business in Denmark, was CEO of SBS Nordic since 2009.
The SBS Discovery Media senior management team will also include Christian Kemp as CEO Denmark, Jonas Sjögren as CEO Sweden/Finland, Harald Strømme as CEO Norway, Hans van Rijn as business development director, Eivind Landsverk as programming & content director and Quinton Holland as CFO.
Also on the senior team will bed Jan Andreassen, the leader of Discovery’s Nordic business, who will serve as a key member of the integration team, working closely with Ravn and the rest of senior management to counsel on operational and strategic issues for the combined entity. Finally, Darren Campbell from Discovery will serve as VP of human resources.