Vice Appoints ITV Studios’ Bea Hegedus to Lead Global Distribution (EXCLUSIVE)

ITV Studios executive Bea Hegedus is joining Vice Media Group as senior VP and global head of distribution.

The newly created role comes as Vice looks to maximize its IP internationally, and build new U.S. and international partnerships. Formed in 2017, global production outfit Vice Studios has 130 projects in production and development across all genres and formats.

At Vice, Hegedus — who most recently served as VP of global scripted content at ITV Studios — will report into Vice Studios president Kate Ward. She will be tasked with forging global distribution partnerships focusing on linear, OTT, SVOD and AVOD strategies. Her distribution pipeline includes all Vice IP, including programming from Vice TV and the recently announced Vice World News.

The new distribution arm covers documentary, lifestyle and news programming, with a library of more than 900 hours of Vice programming such as “Dark Side of the Ring,” the Emmy award-winning “Vice News Tonight,” “Hate Thy Neighbour” with Jamali Maddix, Karley Sciortino’s “Slutever,” and the award-winning documentary “Gaycation” with Ellen Page.

Alongside a dedicated team, Hegedus will work with Vice Media Group’s 35 offices around the world. She will help to build on partnerships with the likes of U.K. broadcaster Channel 4’s All4, Bell in Canada, AMC International in Iberia and Hulu in Japan.

Previously, at ITV Studios, Hegedus led the company’s scripted strategy, financing premium high-end drama content and managed international co-productions. She has worked in both creative and commercial roles, starting out in production and going on to hold a variety of senior executive and advisory roles at companies including Pinewood Pictures, Lionsgate, MTG (NENT) and Fox TV Studios.

Kate Ward, president of Vice Studios, said: “Establishing a dedicated distribution group as part of Vice Studios will allow us to supercharge our distribution efforts and deliver stronger and more strategic global partnerships, bringing more of Vice’s powerful programming to an even greater number of viewers, platforms and channels around the world. In doing so, we will further maximize the value of our IP and investment in premium programming.”

“Vice is renowned for making compelling, engaging and original content that reaches young people on a global level, all of which has undisputable appeal to international broadcasters and streaming platforms,” added Hegedus. “It is a unique and exciting opportunity to join the company at this time and I look forward to working with Kate, the Studios team and the wider Vice Media Group.”

Vice Studios’ upcoming original productions include “Pride” for FX and “Last Looks” for Quibi. The banner’s productions include Chris Smith’s Emmy-nominated “Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond,” “Fyre: The Greatest Party that Never Happened” for Netflix and feature film “The Report,” starring Adam Driver and Annette Bening, for Amazon.

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