War & Peace firm gets MD, Endemol Shine exec

War & Peace producer Lookout Point has upped commercial director Damian Keogh to managing director, and hired a head of business affairs from Endemol Shine Group.

Damian joined the UK-based producer in February 2016 from the BBC’s commercial sales arm, BBC Worldwide (BBCWW), which has a 49% stake in the business.

In a new role as MD, he will now work closely with COO Saul Venit to expand the prodco, with both reporting to joint CEOs Simon Vaughan and Faith Penhale.

Yasmina Hadded, meanwhile, is joining as business affairs chief from Endemol Shine-owned Fifty Fathoms, which produced Sky dramas Fortitude and Guerilla.

The developments come soon after Sky scripted production chief Louise Mutter and ITV Studios creative director Francis Hopkinson joined as head of production and executive producer respectively.

Since Keogh’s arrival, which coincided with that of joint CEO and creative director Penhale, Lookout Point has refocused from a drama financier and dealmaker to a fully-fledged production business.

“Damian’s commercial brilliance and effortless charm has led to him being an indispensable lynchpin in developing and managing many of our most important global relationships,” said Vaughan.

“He has already become a central part of our senior management team and this promotion underscores the pivotal role he will play in the company going forward.”