Dow Jones received a payment from EQS/DGAP to publish this press release.
DGAP-Media / 2019-04-08 / 10:30
*Fred Kogel, Max Wiedemann and Quirin Berg to create independent German
media company*
· Wiedemann & Berg Film, one of the most successful German film production
companies, to complement Tele München Gruppe, Universum Film and i&u TV
· As managing directors of Wiedemann & Berg Film, Max Wiedemann and Quirin
Berg will also take responsibility for feature film production division in
Fred Kogel's management team
· First stage of building the new company to be completed
Munich, 8 April 2019 - Max Wiedemann and Quirin Berg's Wiedemann & Berg Film
("W&B Film") is among the leading film producers in Germany. Their first
film "The Lives of Others" was awarded an Oscar for best foreign language
film. Having produced very popular and award-winning titles such as "Men in
the City", "Friendship!", "Vaterfreuden", "Welcome to Germany", "Who am I",
the two-time Oscar-nominated "Never Look Away" and currently "Goldfish",
they stand for great cinema. W&B Film will become a part of the independent
media company backed by KKR, with the participation of Atwater Capital, LLC.
Max Wiedemann and Quirin Berg, who will continue to lead W&B Film as
managing directors, say: "We have been best friends for 35 years and founded
our company 20 years ago. It is our great fortune to live our vision as
producers together with outstanding creative people, a unique team and great
partners. We are thankful for the wonderful films we stand for together. Now
is the perfect time to enter a new phase of our vision. We will become part
of an independent film studio and media company that we can build up with
Fred Kogel. We will oversee the feature film production division. W&B
Television, our joint venture with EndemolShine, will continue to run in
parallel. We are very excited about this first step and the opportunities
ahead of us."
*Talent factory with unique production expertise*
"Our dream team is complete! I have known Max and Quirin for many years and
admire them as producers and entrepreneurs. Few have mastered the art of
filmmaking so well. Now, we will jointly realise national and international
feature film productions and implement our idea of establishing an
independent German media company, which has been based on a common concept
from the very beginning," says Fred Kogel, CEO of the new media company
about the partnership.
Following the closing of all transactions, Tele München Gruppe, Universum
Film, i&u TV and W&B Film will form an independent German film studio that
covers the production, licensing and distribution across the entire value
chain. The focus will be on inspiring viewers with high-quality content and
being a partner for creative talents. The media company buys and produces
feature films, series as well as TV shows in the future and will distribute
this content to cinemas, digital services, home entertainment and TV
channels. The company will also make use of market-leading license
libraries. Its independence means that all customers can be served with
high-quality content - digital streaming providers, Pay-TV partners as well
as public and private television broadcasters.
*First stage of development to be completed*
Philipp Freise, Member and Head of the European Technology, Media and
Telecommunications Industry team at KKR, says: "We are very excited to
successfully complete the first stage of our company development with Fred
Kogel. Now, we will focus on combining the expertise and know-how of all
four companies, Max's & Quirin's in particular, to create something truly
innovative. Our goal has always been to build an entertainment house for
audio-visual content, not just to buy individual companies."
The management team led by CEO Fred Kogel is currently preparing for the
operational start and further specification of future plans for the media
company.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary
closing conditions. It is expected to close in June 2019. KKR is making its
investment from its European Fund IV. Financial details of the transaction
were not disclosed.
Further information on the new media company of Fred Kogel and KKR can be
found in the press release of 21 February 2019 (link [1]), 25 February 2019
(link [2]) and 29 March 2019 (link [3]).
###
*Media Contacts*
*KKR*
Raphael Eisenmann
Hering Schuppener Consulting
Phone: +49 69 92 18 74-86
Mobile: +49 160 90 61 11 07
E-Mail: reisenmann@heringschuppener.com
Stephanie Lichtenberg
Hering Schuppener Consulting
Phone: +49 69 92 18 74-24
Mobile: +49 171 86 29 942
E-Mail: slichtenberg@heringschuppener.com
*Wiedemann & Berg Film*
Franziska Kurra
Wiedemann & Berg Film
Phone: +49 89 452323-86
E-Mail: f.kurra@w-b.film
*About KKR *
KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages multiple alternative
asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate
and credit, with strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR aims to
generate attractive investment returns for its fund investors by following a
patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people,
and driving growth and value creation with KKR portfolio companies. KKR
invests its own capital alongside the capital it manages for fund investors
and provides financing solutions and investment opportunities through its
capital markets business. References to KKR's investments may include the
activities of its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR &
Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on
Twitter @KKR_Co.
*About **Wiedemann & Berg Film*
Already back in high school, Max Wiedemann and Quirin Berg shared their
passion for film. A few years later, while still students at the University
of Television and Film in Munich, they founded Wiedemann & Berg Film. Since
2003 both have been sole shareholders and managing directors.
In 2010, Wiedemann & Berg Television was founded as a joint venture with
EndemolShine.
The combination of cinema and TV, the focus on high-quality and commercial
projects, pioneering spirit, a great team and the early recognition of and
collaboration with outstanding creative people have made Wiedemann & Berg
one of the most successful production companies in Germany.
As the third German film production ever, their first feature "The Lives of
Others", the directing debut of Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, was
awarded an Oscar(R) for best foreign language film. In the same
constellation, they produced "Never Look Away", which received two Academy
Award nominations in 2019. Over the past years the company has successfully
produced box office hits, such as Baran bo Odar's hacking thriller "Who am
I" and, amongst others, the comedies "Vaterfreuden" by Matthias Schweighöfer
with almost 2.5 million tickets sold as well as Simon Verhoeven's "Men in
the City" with almost 2.3 million tickets sold and "Welcome to Germany" with
almost 3.9 million tickets sold.
The producers as well as their productions have received numerous awards:
Academy Award, Auszeichnung der Deutschen Akademie für Fernsehen, British
Academy Film Award, German Bambi, Bavarian Television Awards, Bavarian Film
Awards, César Award France, European Film Award, Hollywood Reporter Award,
German Television Award, German Film Award, Fernsehfilmpreis der Deutschen
Akademie der Darstellenden Künste, Golden Camera, Golden Nymph Award, German
Grimme Award, GQ Award, LA Critics Award, Magnolia Award Shanghai, Mira
Award, BANFF's Rockie Award and Romy.
End of Media Release
Additional features:
Picture: http://newsfeed2.eqs.com/kkr/796875.html [4]
Subtitle: Max Wiedemann & Quirin Berg
Issuer: KKR & Co. Inc.
Key word(s): TV/Radio
2019-04-08 Dissemination of a Press Release, transmitted by DGAP - a service
of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Archive at www.dgap.de
796875 2019-04-08
1: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=36f32d2b86037243d47e8d9440a49d8c&application_id=796875&site_id=vwd&application_name=news
2: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=0a191a88bc6d0bfd3ec6035a80277f5f&application_id=796875&site_id=vwd&application_name=news
3: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=c4ec1ee478fe9384224631af9f62068e&application_id=796875&site_id=vwd&application_name=news
4: https://link.cockpit.eqs.com/cgi-bin/fncls.ssp?fn=redirect&url=9e426300e3fa8e37a3ede76eed29494b&application_id=796875&site_id=vwd&application_name=news
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 08, 2019 04:30 ET (08:30 GMT)
© 2019 Dow Jones News
