Mediawan Group Renews Contract for Leonine Studios CEO Fred Kogel Until 2028
Leonine Studios CEO Fred Kogel Signs Contract Extension Through 2028
Fred Kogel, the longtime CEO of Leonine Studios, will extend his tenure at the helm until at least 2028, following a renewed contract with the parent company, Mediawan Group. This agreement reinforces Kogel’s leadership as Leonine Studios continues to grow in the competitive landscape of film production and distribution.
The extension comes two years after Mediawan Group’s acquisition of Leonine Studios, having previously held a 25% stake since 2020. Kogel co-founded Leonine in 2019 in partnership with the New York-based investment group KKR.
Under Kogel’s guidance, Leonine Studios has established itself as a significant player in the German-speaking entertainment market, producing notable successes such as School of Magical Animals parts 2 and 3, Girl You Know It’s True, and Weekend Rebels, the latter of which is set for a U.S. remake.
In addition to Kogel’s contract extension, Mediawan Group announced key changes within its management team. Quirin Berg will assume the role of Deputy Chairman of the Management Board at Leonine Holding GmbH on April 1, 2026. Since January 2020, Berg has overseen the content strategy for the entire fiction division at Leonine Studios.
Jochen Köstler, who has served as Executive Vice President of Non-Fiction and Managing Director of i&u Studios since January 2024, will also join the Management Board of Leonine Holding as Chief Production Officer of Non-Fiction on the same date, taking charge of the non-fiction production division.
The Management Board will also feature Sarah Fischer as Chief People & Sustainability Officer, Max Wiedemann continuing his roles as Business Development and Co-Chief Production Officer of Fiction, and Bernhard zu Castell as Chief Distribution Officer. Castell manages theatrical, home entertainment, audio distribution, licensing, and channels.
Kogel expressed enthusiasm about the future, stating, “I am delighted that we will be continuing on the highly successful path of Leonine Studios, the production and distribution group I co-founded. I look forward to building on Leonine’s success in the future with Quirin and Jochen in their expanded roles, as well as Sarah, Max, Bernhard, and our regional CFO Jens Mezger – my entire management team."
Mediawan Group co-founder and CEO Pierre-Antoine Capton emphasized the importance of collaboration between Mediawan and Leonine Studios, noting that their partnership aligns with the group’s goals to become “a global independent champion, driven by top-tier talent and a strong European vision.” He expressed optimism about accelerating synergies across the group, particularly with the development of international projects like the adaptation of Weekend Rebels into Weekend Warriors.
