MUMBAI: Keshet International (KI) has appointed Nicola Andrews, a kid’s content expert with more than 20 years’ experience, to lead its recently announced kid’s division. Nicola joins KI as Senior Sales & Commercial Director, Kids, based in London, reporting to Keren Shahar, COO KI and President of Distribution. Nicola will spearhead the company’s sales and commercial operations within the kids and family genre, including acquisitions, co-productions and worldwide sales.

Nicola’s appointment marks KI’s next phase of expansion in the kids’ content space. It recently formed a partnership with the Ananey Communications Group, which represents the Viacom brands Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTV and Comedy Central in Israel, to bring teens’, tweens’ and kids’ series in the global market. Nicola will actively look for new programming opportunities for KI and will be in attendance at the Children’s Media Conference in Sheffield (4 – 6 July).

With a long career in television, Nicola brings a wealth of experience to the new role including television distribution, acquisitions, sales, business affairs, production, licensing and merchandising, retail and advertising sales.

Prior to joining KI, Nicola was VP of Distribution at Gaumont Television, where she was responsible for selling the firm’s line-up of children’s programming internationally, as well as its French and US scripted dramas. Nicola has also held posts as Head of Acquisitions at Cineflix Rights, Managing Director of London based animation studio BKN New Media and senior sales positions at Sony Pictures and Carlton International.

Keren Shahar, COO KI & President of Distribution said, “Nicola is joining KI at a very exciting time, as we continue to expand the business and diversify our content. With her unrivalled expertise and excellent relationships, I have no doubt that she is just the person to establish KI as a formidable competitor in the kid’s content market. ”

Nicola Andrews, KI Senior Sales & Commercial Director, Kids said, “The prospect of leveraging KI’s distribution and production expertise in the kids business is incredibly exciting, as is the company’s long-term commitment to invest at every stage of the value chain, build solid international brands and exploit them worldwide. The kid’s content sector is entering a new and dynamic phase and we are responding with some ambitious but achievable goals which take advantage of the opportunities available to us.”

Kelly Wright, formerly Head of Latin America and Executive Advisor for Asia-Pacific, has been promoted to VP of Distribution and New Business having played an integral role in driving KI’s distribution strategy, expanding its operations across each region and establishing of KI’s local production arm, Keshet MX in Mexico City. Limor Gott Ronen has been promoted to VP of Marketing and Communications having built the KI brand from its inception and devised marketing, communications and corporate strategy underpinning the break into new markets as well as full portfolio packaging and positioning.