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FremantleMedia’s Cécile Frot-Coutaz departs for YouTube

One of the TV industry’s most longstanding female execs, Frot-Coutaz has been the company's CEO since 2012

RTL Group has revealed that Cécile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of FremantleMedia, is leaving the company to join YouTube.

Frot-Coutaz has held the role since 2012 after more than two decades with the production/distribution giant. She is also the former CEO of FremantleMedia North America and was exec producer on American Idol, America’s Got Talent and The X Factor USA.

She confirmed that she is joining the Google-owned company as head of EMEA, working with Robert Kyncl, YouTube’s chief business officer, to spearhead its growth strategies across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 

The search for her successor is now underway.

“I would like to thank Cécile for her extraordinary creative and commercial achievements at FremantleMedia,” said Bert Habets, CEO of RTL Group. “As CEO of FremantleMedia, she has successfully put creativity back in the centre of the company over the past six years. I regret, but understand Cécile’s decision. All of us wish her the best in her future endeavours.”

Commenting on her departure, Frot-Coutaz added: “FremantleMedia has been a lot more than my place of work for the past 23 years – it’s been the place I’ve called home. Decisions like this are never easy, but I know I leave behind a thriving, confident company with a terrific pipeline, dynamic global leadership, a supportive shareholder and, most importantly, a world-class team of creatives. I go on to explore new challenges safe in the knowledge that FremantleMedia’s best days lie ahead.”