Endemol has announced that Ynon Kreiz has been appointed as its CEO. Kreiz is a leading media investor and former chairman and CEO of Fox Kids Europe. He will begin in his new post on June 1, 2008., replacing Aat Schouwenaar.
Between 1997-2002 Kreiz was chairman and CEO of Fox Kids Europe, which he co-founded with Haim Saban in October 1996. Under his management, Fox Kids became one of the fastest growing pay-TV channels in Europe and the Middle East, broadcasting in 56 countries in 17 languages.
Since 2003, Ynon Kreiz worked as an investor in the media industry. Between 2005-2007, he was a General Partner at Balderton Capital (formerly Benchmark Capital Europe), a venture capital firm, where he served on the boards of Setanta Sports and Codemasters. With approximately $1.5 billion in committed capital, the firm has made more than 80 investments across a variety of geographies and market sectors, including media and technology.
Endemol is owned by investors Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, Mediacinco (a company jointly owned by Mediaset and TeleCinco), and Cyrte Investments.