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Matchbox Pictures boss to head up FremantleMedia Australia

Chris Oliver-Taylor appointed new CEO of FremantleMedia for Australia & NZ.

Chris Oliver-Taylor will depart as Managing Director of Matchbox Pictures to become CEO of FremantleMedia Australia.

He replaces Ian Hogg, who departed in January.

Previously ABC’s Head of Business and Operations, he has been MD at Matchbox Pictures since 2011, overseeing output including The Slap, Glitch, Secret City, Barracuda, The Family Law, Safe Harbour, Nowhere Boys, The Real Housewives of Melbourne and Wanted. He has also been actively involved with industry groups including Screen Producers Australia and Screenrights.

Oliver-Taylor will oversee both Australian & New Zealand businesses from later this year, reporting to FremantleMedia Group CEO, Cécile Frot-Coutaz.

Cécile Frot-Coutaz, FremantleMedia’s Group CEO, said: “Chris is one of Australia’s most admired and dynamic television executives, with an outstanding reputation for delivering impactful scripted and un-scripted entertainment that plays brilliantly in Australia and around the world. I am delighted to have attracted someone of his calibre and passion to lead our Australian operation and I can’t wait to welcome him to the global Fremantle family.”

Chris Oliver-Taylor said: “Leading Matchbox Pictures has been the most creatively rewarding chapter of my career so far, but the opportunity to lead FremantleMedia Australia and join the outstanding global team is one I couldn’t resist. From the world’s biggest entertainment formats to some of the most ambitious dramas on television, Fremantle is an absolute powerhouse – and I couldn’t be more excited about the many creative partnerships and possibilities that lie ahead across Australia, New Zealand and internationally.”

Oliver-Taylor joins FMA from NBCUniversal-owned Matchbox Pictures where, since 2011, he has led the company through a sustained period of growth, generating significant production output across all Australian networks as well as a number of international co-productions. 

Standout programmes commissioned during his tenure at Matchbox include Secret City, Devils Play-ground and The Real Housewives franchise for Foxtel; Glitch, 7 Types of Ambiguity and Barracuda for the ABC; Wanted and Formal Wars for Network 7; Hyde & Seek for Network 9; Underground for Network 10; and Safe Harbour, The Family Law and Date My Race for SBS. Under his leadership, Matchbox won 20 AACTA awards, an International Emmy, 3 Kidscreen Awards, 9 Logies, 4 Australian Director’s Guild Awards, 6 Australian Writers Guild Awards, and 9 Screen Producers of Australia Awards, including winning Production Company of the Year three times, most recently last year. 

Oliver-Taylor began his career at the BBC in London, working on shows ranging from Top of the Pops and The Generation Game to Match of the Day and Westminster Live. He emigrated to Australia in 2000, working at the ABC in a number of roles across drama, entertainment and comedy. In 2005 he became ABC’s Head of Production, with overall responsibility for the production and delivery of the entire ABC TV slate as well as the financial management, business affairs, scheduling and broadcast operations of ABC TV. He is a Board Director of Screenrights and the former President and Board Director of Screen Producers Australia.

FMA is the home of Family Feud, Great Australian Bake Off, Grand Designs Australia, Escape from the City, The X Factor, Australia’s Got Talent and Australian Idol. It is also the company behind original dramas such as Wentworth, Neighbours and the upcoming Picnic at Hanging Rock, which has sold around the world. 

2 Responses

  1. FremantleMedia Australia is very lucky to have wooed Chris away from Matchbox. He’s a class act and a rarity in this business – someone who is great to deal with, honest and just a lovely person.

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