Moskito names new CEO after founder exits

Nice Entertainment’s Finnish prodco, Moskito Television, has named a new chief executive after the founder and previous CEO, Roope Lehtinen, announced his exit.

Riina Kullas has been upped to the top job at the formats- and drama-focused prodco, effective Tuesday (November 1), having previously been head of entertainment.

Lehtinen (pictured) is exiting to create what a source described as a “development company generating drama and format ideas” – it will not be involved in physical production.

Lehtinen told TBI he would update the market “very, very soon” on the newco.

He will remain as a consultant to Moskito, which he founded back in 1999, according to Nice CEO Morten Aass.

“In this role he will work as an executive advisor as well as continue heading all of the exciting scripted projects in Moskito’s pipeline,” said Aass. “Roope will also start a new development company to generate even more great drama ideas for Nordic production companies, including Moskito and the other companies in Nice Entertainment Group.”

Moskito produces factual, documentary, reality, drama and sports programming in Finland, and sits alongside commercials producer Grilli Films and Alice Akimoff and Harri Saukkomaa’s Production House in the Modern Times Group-owned Nice group.

Moskito’s dramas include the 32x60mins MTV Oy crime series Easy Living, which Nice stablemate DRG has shopped as a format to HBO Europe’s Hungarian wing.