Shahar will take up her new role in January 2023, operating out of the KI’s Tel Aviv office.
Israel’s Keshet International (KI) has promoted Keren Shahar to CEO, replacing Alon Shtruzman in the role.
Keshet announced the departure of Shtruzman, after a decade at the helm of KI, in September.
Shtruzman will leave at the end of the year, with Shahar — who most recently served as COO and president of distribution — beginning in the CEO role on January 1, 2023.
In her new role, Shahar will be responsible for all the company’s activities, including its network of production companies and distribution hubs – KI in Tel Aviv, Keshet UK, Tresor and Keshet Tresor Fiction in Germany, Keshet Studios in the US, and a majority stake in Greenbird Media.
She will also be tasked with expanding Keshet International’s global production output, while also boosting its catalogue of international dramas, factual entertainment shows, and formats to build the distribution side of the business.
Shahar first joined Keshet Media Group in 2004, and in 2006 was appointed formats manager, overseeing the sales of Keshet’s formats abroad. Two years later in 2008, she took on responsibility for Keshet Broadcasting’s acquisitions department. She is a pioneer in selling Israeli formats abroad, and has helped to cultivate the country’s international profile for wide-travelling format IP.
She has been responsible for the distribution of many of Keshet’s scripted formats, such as Prisoners of War, which became Showtime hit Homeland and False Flag and When Heroes Fly, which have recently been adapted as Suspicion and Echo 3 for Apple TV+ by Keshet UK and Keshet Studios respectively.
Speaking about the new role, Shahar said: “Having the privilege of leading a company like Keshet International is far beyond what I could have imagined when I first started at Keshet 18 years ago. I just wanted to be around the people who ‘made television.’ I’d like to thank Alon for his mentorship and friendship, and for showing me what infinite optimism can achieve. Thank you also to the Keshet board, and to Avi in particular, for all his support and multiple votes of confidence over the years. Last but not least, I want to thank the extremely talented group of people who ‘make television’ at KI. I am looking forward to our next chapter together and seeing what we can achieve in our second decade!”
KMG CEO Avi Nir emphasised the role Shahar had played in the development of KI since its early days of existence in 2012. “In just a few weeks from now, Apple TV will launch Echo 3, Keshet Studios’ US adaptation of Keshet’s When Heroes Fly, which is truly one of this year’s most ambitious television productions. Flashback to 2012 and Keshet International’s inception – standing centre frame is Keren Shahar, determined to bring Israeli TV to a world that didn’t know what it was and didn’t know it needed it,” he said.
“Returning to 2022 as we celebrate its 10th birthday, Keshet International is now an internationally recognised name – a global-scale content, production, and distribution company with a history of challenges, successes, and achievements – all with Keren as its deputy CEO. I’m happy to announce the promotion of Keren to Keshet International’s CEO.”
