Mipcom 2012: Theater Impresario, Ex-Sony Pictures Television Exec Team for Content Firm

LONDON – Former Sony Pictures Television high flyer Kees Abrahams is teaming with theatre and media producer Robin de Levita to create Imagine Nation, a media content company focusing on live entertainment, film and television.

Related Topics

•MIPCOM 2012

•MIPTV 2013

Abrahams, most recently SPT president of international TV production will be ceo of the startup while de Levita, whose resume boasts a trio of Tony awards and more than 100 theatrical productions in seven countries such as Titanic and Footloose on Broadway, will be the chief creative officer.

The fledgling company has also recruited ex-BBC, ITV and Sony executive Chris Pye as a non-executive chairman.

Said Abrahams said the ambition for the "digitally-enabled media business" will be to help "great ideas to break through on the international stage."

de Levita added: "The new company will provide a great platform to develop and exploit content across multiple genres and distribution platforms, including second screen and online. Imagine Nation also aims to be at the forefront of incorporating new technical solutions into traditional forms of media."

It is setting up outposts in Amsterdam, New York and London and aims to mirror 2waytraffic, a global TV formats development banner.

It floated on the London Stock Market in 2006, bought the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire format and was acquired by Sony Pictures International for £130 million ($210 million) in 2008.

Abrahams ran Sony’s international TV formats operations globally, responsible for formats such as Millionaire and Dragons’ Den. Imagine Nation is being advised by Oakley Capital Corporate Finance, the mid-market TMT corporate finance specialist.

Imagine Nation’s strategy is to expand through leveraging its own IP, partnerships and also acquisitions, the company said.