Oerlemans back in Euro TV with indie investment

Reinout Oerlemans has acquired a 50% stake in new Belgian producer Lecter Media, marking his first European investment since moving to the US two years ago.

The Eyeworks Group co-founder, plus regular business associates Robert van den Bogaard and Ronald van Wechem (another Eyeworks co-founder), have bought into the prodco, which aims to produce factual and entertainment programmes for the Dutch and Belgian markets.

Oerlemans moved to the US after selling Eyeworks to Warner Bros. International Television to run Eyeworks USA, which was not part of the deal, as chairman. Eyeworks USA then rebranded as 3Ball Entertainment. Van den Bogaard and can Wecham both sit on the 3Ball board.

Guy Goedgezelschap and Jan Segers created Lecter recently after leaving the production arm of Belgian broadcaster Medialaan, which operates the VTM network. They will retain the other 50% in the company.

The pair recently exited Medialaan-owned producer TVBastards in March, with former FremantleMedia Belgium managing director and La Banda producer Gert Verteep coming in as general director to replace them.

According to Dutch paper Telegraaf, Oerlemans will remain in the US following the investment.

In a statement widely reported in the Dutch press, Oerlemans said market developments such as the proliferation of VOD content had led to him returning to the international production market, and said Lecter’s ambitions were “in line with our plans and ideas for the future”.

Oerlemans added he wanted Lecter and 3Ball to cooperate on projects in the future.