Banijay appoints head of M&A as it seeks further acquisitions

Banijay said the role will be dedicated to supporting the group’s growth trajectory.

Préfol will be based in Paris, and reports jointly to CEO Marco Bassetti and CFO Cédric Brignon. He will begin in position on 6 March 2023.

Préfol has spent more than 15 years in the M&A space and joins from Publicis Groupe, where he was associate director. He has worked on over 40 acquisitions in the creative, production, events, media, tech, ecommerce, and data industries globally.

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Before Publicis Groupe, Préfol worked in investment banking for almost a decade, having started his career in 2006 as an analyst at Wagram Corporate Finance. He later joined Kepler Corporate Finance, where he was made senior associate.

Banijay is home to over 120 production companies across 23 territories. In the past year, it has acquired companies such as Beyond International, Belgian scripted producer johnnydepony, Israeli film and TV producer MoviePlus and Italian outfit Grøenlandia.

Bassetti said: “With over 10 acquisitions completed in 2022 alone, it was important for us to have a concentrated position in the team focused purely on M&A. We’ve made no secret of our ambitions for further growth into 2023 and with Stéphane, we can continue to be more effective in broadening our business offering, building our reputation as a go-to for talent both in content and beyond.”

Préfol said: “Banijay’s profile has gone from strength-to-strength over the years and with its keen focus on strategic expansion, it seemed the perfect next steppingstone. I look forward to coming onboard and partnering with Marco, Cédric and the wider team globally in fulfilling the ambitions of the group at-large.”

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