In his new role, Sebastian Burkhardt will be tasked with identifying and executing new business opportunities for the company, including co-productions and deficit financing as well as acquiring third party formats and finished programming for distribution. He will also spearhead the company’s push into finished programming and maximise its sales potential across all platforms. Burkhardt will report to KI’s Managing Director Distribution Keren Shahar.

Sebastian Burkhardt

This appointment signals KI’s intention to ramp up its finished programming sales business significantly over the next 12 months. With premium drama series DIG having launched last night on USA network and several other English language series due to air, the distributor’s tape catalogue is set to grow considerably.

Keren Shahar, MD Distribution at Keshet International, said, “We’re delighted to have someone of Sebastian’s talent – whose entrepreneurial skills have played a key role in the launch and expansion of a multi-genre international distribution company – on board. I’m confident that he is just the person we need to support Keshet International as it ventures into new territory and exploits new business opportunities.”

Burkhardt said, “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Keshet International at such an exciting time. The prospect of working with one of the most envied programme slates in the industry and a great management team with very ambitious plans for growth, was an attractive one.” 

Prior to joining Keshet, Burkhardt was SVP International Distribution at Banijay International having joined the company in early 2009 and played a key role in its expansion. In the past six years, leading a team of sales executives, Burkhardt has brokered format and finished programme deals across Europe, North America, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia. He has also overseen the roll-out of several high profile formats from the Banijay catalogue such as Temptation Island and Stars in Danger: The High Dive.