International Cinemas
January 13, 2021
Willi Geike to Depart WarnerMedia
(London) – After 38 years in senior leadership roles, Warner Bros. veteran Willi Geike, President and Managing Director, Warner Bros. Germany, Austria, Switzerland (GAS) and Poland until October 2020, and Chief Content Officer Local Production, German-speaking territories, has decided to leave the company.
He will step down in January 2021 to take on new challenges as an independent film producer.
Priya Dogra, President WarnerMedia EMEA & Asia (excl. China), said: “Willi is a hugely respected figure who has successfully led and grown the Warner Bros. business in the region for many years. He built our local theatrical production in the GAS region from the ground up into the vibrant presence it enjoys today, as year after year, outstanding storytelling continues to delight audiences and deliver strongly at the box office. I appreciate and understand his desire to pursue new ventures and on behalf of all our colleagues I wish him the very best for his future endeavours.”
Iris Knobloch, Country Manager, WarnerMedia France & Benelux and GAS, added: “In the many years I’ve known Willi, he has combined formidable creative gifts with a sharp business acumen, and built enduring relationships across the full spectrum of the entertainment industry. Over his remarkable tenure, he has always put the talent at the centre of his thinking and that has undoubtedly been a pivotal factor in his continued success. He is one of a kind and will be much missed.”
Willi Geike said: “I am so grateful for my 38 years at Warner Bros. Working together with the best colleagues you can wish for, motivating, inspiring and always looking for new ways to serve consumers’ demands and partnering with so many local creative talents to develop, produce and distribute some of the best and most successful films and tv-series for the German-speaking audience, has been just amazing. I wish my colleagues, creative partners and WarnerMedia all the best for the future.”
About Willi Geike
As President and MD, Warner Bros. Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland, Geike was most recently responsible for overseeing Warner Bros. business activities in the four territories, and as head of Local Productions, he led Warner Bros. Germany’s local production activities for more than 25 years.
Geike began his Warner Bros. career in 1983 as Marketing Director, Warner Home Video Germany and Austria, and Managing Director thereafter. He was integral in releasing the first direct-to-sell-through film release in the German entertainment market, starting a new consumer business and launching the first German-speaking internet-based direct-to-consumer film download platform “in2movies” as a joint venture with Bertelsmann’s arvato in 2006.
After leading Warner Bros. Pictures Germany and Austria from 1995 – 2001, he became the first Managing Director worldwide to be responsible for the Theatrical and Home Entertainment business, including local productions, in a territory with a united Marketing,
Distribution and Local Production Management team as a forerunner of the one company approach. In 2007, Geike became Country Manager for Germany and Austria, subsequently adding Switzerland and Poland to his remit.
Under Geike’s leadership, Warner Bros. Germany started the local production business as early as 1995, developing, producing, marketing and distributing more than 300 local film productions up until the present day, achieving more than €900 million at the box office.
In his role heading Warner Bros. Germany, Geike was instrumental in closing development, production, first-look and distribution deals with the most significant and successful German creative talent and local production companies, and Warner Bros. Germany has been home to a wealth of emerging young talent, as well as famous directors, writers, producers and actors. Together with these outstanding creative partners, Warner Bros. Germany has continued to establish itself as a prominent contributor to the local theatrical production industry.
In 2016, "You Are Wanted" became the first German-speaking original of a worldwide streaming service released in more than 160 territories worldwide, through a co-production developed under Geike’s leadership between Warner Bros. Germany, Pantaleon Film and WB International TV Production Germany.
During Geike’s tenure, Warner Bros. Germany and their creative partners won several awards, including German Film Academy LOLA awards, an International Emmy award, a Golden Globe Award and awards from film festivals including Berlinale, Cannes and Venice.
Geike is a member of the German Film Academy and was on the board of the German Film Distributor and Home Entertainment Associations and "First Steps," a unique joint venture of German Film and TV companies supporting emerging film makers in their first steps into the market.
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About WarnerMedia
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. The organization also includes Xandr’s suite of advanced advertising solutions designed to help to improve advertising for brands, publishers, and consumers.
Contact:
Claudia Coles
claudia.coles@turner.com
+447785725705
He will step down in January 2021 to take on new challenges as an independent film producer.
Priya Dogra, President WarnerMedia EMEA & Asia (excl. China), said: “Willi is a hugely respected figure who has successfully led and grown the Warner Bros. business in the region for many years. He built our local theatrical production in the GAS region from the ground up into the vibrant presence it enjoys today, as year after year, outstanding storytelling continues to delight audiences and deliver strongly at the box office. I appreciate and understand his desire to pursue new ventures and on behalf of all our colleagues I wish him the very best for his future endeavours.”
Iris Knobloch, Country Manager, WarnerMedia France & Benelux and GAS, added: “In the many years I’ve known Willi, he has combined formidable creative gifts with a sharp business acumen, and built enduring relationships across the full spectrum of the entertainment industry. Over his remarkable tenure, he has always put the talent at the centre of his thinking and that has undoubtedly been a pivotal factor in his continued success. He is one of a kind and will be much missed.”
Willi Geike said: “I am so grateful for my 38 years at Warner Bros. Working together with the best colleagues you can wish for, motivating, inspiring and always looking for new ways to serve consumers’ demands and partnering with so many local creative talents to develop, produce and distribute some of the best and most successful films and tv-series for the German-speaking audience, has been just amazing. I wish my colleagues, creative partners and WarnerMedia all the best for the future.”
About Willi Geike
As President and MD, Warner Bros. Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland, Geike was most recently responsible for overseeing Warner Bros. business activities in the four territories, and as head of Local Productions, he led Warner Bros. Germany’s local production activities for more than 25 years.
Geike began his Warner Bros. career in 1983 as Marketing Director, Warner Home Video Germany and Austria, and Managing Director thereafter. He was integral in releasing the first direct-to-sell-through film release in the German entertainment market, starting a new consumer business and launching the first German-speaking internet-based direct-to-consumer film download platform “in2movies” as a joint venture with Bertelsmann’s arvato in 2006.
After leading Warner Bros. Pictures Germany and Austria from 1995 – 2001, he became the first Managing Director worldwide to be responsible for the Theatrical and Home Entertainment business, including local productions, in a territory with a united Marketing,
Distribution and Local Production Management team as a forerunner of the one company approach. In 2007, Geike became Country Manager for Germany and Austria, subsequently adding Switzerland and Poland to his remit.
Under Geike’s leadership, Warner Bros. Germany started the local production business as early as 1995, developing, producing, marketing and distributing more than 300 local film productions up until the present day, achieving more than €900 million at the box office.
In his role heading Warner Bros. Germany, Geike was instrumental in closing development, production, first-look and distribution deals with the most significant and successful German creative talent and local production companies, and Warner Bros. Germany has been home to a wealth of emerging young talent, as well as famous directors, writers, producers and actors. Together with these outstanding creative partners, Warner Bros. Germany has continued to establish itself as a prominent contributor to the local theatrical production industry.
In 2016, "You Are Wanted" became the first German-speaking original of a worldwide streaming service released in more than 160 territories worldwide, through a co-production developed under Geike’s leadership between Warner Bros. Germany, Pantaleon Film and WB International TV Production Germany.
During Geike’s tenure, Warner Bros. Germany and their creative partners won several awards, including German Film Academy LOLA awards, an International Emmy award, a Golden Globe Award and awards from film festivals including Berlinale, Cannes and Venice.
Geike is a member of the German Film Academy and was on the board of the German Film Distributor and Home Entertainment Associations and "First Steps," a unique joint venture of German Film and TV companies supporting emerging film makers in their first steps into the market.
About WarnerMedia
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. The organization also includes Xandr’s suite of advanced advertising solutions designed to help to improve advertising for brands, publishers, and consumers.
Contact:
Claudia Coles
claudia.coles@turner.com
+447785725705