Who Moves the Greenlight Needle in EMEA? A Source Map of Decision-Makers After Disney’s Shift

Who moves the greenlight needle in EMEA — and who you should actually be pitching first

Hook: If you’re a European producer, creator or influencer, your inbox already tells the story: platform churn, executive promotions, and consolidation are rewriting who signs cheques and what gets commissioned. The problem: an outdated contact list and the wrong pitching order cost time, money and opportunities. This guide gives a practical, up-to-date decision-maker map for EMEA in 2026 — who holds commissioning power, what they care about now, and how to reach them with pitches that convert.

Top-level takeaways (inverted pyramid)

• Executive shifts matter: Recent promotions at Disney+ EMEA — and a wider wave of hiring and consolidation in late 2025–early 2026 — have created new senior touchpoints you must know.
• Commissioning is multi-stakeholder: Creative commissioners decide taste and slate fit; Heads of Finance/Legal and Platform Chiefs close deals. Target both.
• Tailor the package: One-pager + 90-second sizzle + clear rights map = entry ticket. Add co-pro potential for European public broadcasters and tax-credit clarity for streamers.
• Network where decision-making happens: MIPCOM/MIPTV, Berlinale Series Market, Series Mania and buyer roundtables are prime for warm intros — but cold pitches still need the right role and format.

Why this matters now (2026 context)

Late 2025 and early 2026 accelerated two trends that affect who you pitch and how: a) restructured commissioning teams at major streamers like Disney+ EMEA, where Angela Jain has reshaped leadership to set her team up for “long term success in EMEA,” and b) renewed consolidation in the production and distribution sector — for example, merger talks between Banijay and All3Media signalled in January 2026 — which changes route-to-market and co-production dynamics.

"We want to set the team up for long term success in EMEA." — Angela Jain, Disney+ (internal memo quoted in industry reports, late 2025)

For producers and creators, that means decision-making nodes have shifted and multiplied: newly promoted VPs may now run commissioning desks; merged groups centralise rights and slate strategy; public-service broadcasters double down on local-language cultural mandates while global streamers prioritise scaleable IP. Your contact map must reflect this reality.

How to use this directory

This is a practical source map. Use it to:

• Identify the right role to pitch, depending on project stage (concept vs ready-to-shoot).
• Prepare role-specific materials (what a commissioning editor wants vs what Head of Acquisitions needs).
• Plan introductions at markets and use in-email signals to escalate outreach.

Decision‑maker directory: Roles, responsibilities and how to approach them

1. Chief Content Officer / Content Chief (Strategic greenlight)

Who they are: Executive at the top of content strategy for a platform or network (e.g., Angela Jain at Disney+ EMEA stepping into a broader strategic role in late 2025–2026).

Responsibilities: Sets slate priorities, greenlight thresholds for premium projects, approves high-budget commissions and sets regional strategy.

When to contact: Only for tentpoles, franchise IP, or projects with major talent attached. Warm intro at market or via trusted agent/partner.

What converts: Global potential, franchise planning, attached A-list talent, robust financing plan and distribution upside.

2. Head of Originals / Head of Local Originals (Operational greenlight)

Who they are: Senior leader running local originals strategy for a territory or cluster (e.g., EMEA Head for a global streamer or Head of Originals at a regional platform).

Responsibilities: Approves regional slate; balances local mandate with globalisation potential; decides commissioning budgets and assigns internal commissioners.

When to contact: Early development stage when your project marries local resonance with international scalability.

What converts: Market fit data, audience demand metrics, co-pro partners and clear rights delineation.

3. Commissioners / Commissioners of Scripted and Unscripted (Primary gatekeepers)

Who they are: The day-to-day decision-makers who review pitches, develop concepts and recommend projects to senior leadership. Recent internal promotions at Disney+ EMEA elevated several commissioners to VPs (for example, Lee Mason to VP Scripted and Sean Doyle to VP Unscripted), demonstrating how commissioners now carry bigger strategic weight.

Responsibilities: Commission development slates, manage relationships with producers, sign off on creative direction, champion projects internally.

When to contact: First point of contact for developed concepts and format pilots. Ideal for projects in active development or with attached showrunner/director.

What converts: Strong one-page treatment, concise deck, 90–120 second sizzle, talent attachments and clear episode plan. For unscripted: format bible with licensing potential.

4. Heads of Drama/Comedy/Factual/Unscripted (Content vertical leads)

Who they are: Senior creatives overseeing a genre vertical across a channel or platform.

Responsibilities: Sets tone and quality bar in verticals, curates creatives, identifies cross-border formats and co-pro opportunities.

When to contact: If your project is a genre piece needing subject-matter championing — e.g., a factual series or a comedy format.

What converts: Clear creative voice, audience hook, and previous credit or demonstrable expertise in the genre.

5. Head of Acquisitions / Head of Global Licensing (Buyers for finished projects)

Who they are: Teams who acquire finished content or co-production rights rather than commissioning originals.

Responsibilities: Rights valuation, slate gaps, negotiating territory windows and exclusivity.

When to contact: When you have a finished pilot/season, festival laurels or distributor interest.

What converts: Festival performance, sales agent interest, and clear delivery specs (EIDR, codecs, subtitles). Be ready with financials and previous sales history.

6. Head of Co-Productions / International Co-Production Exec

Who they are: Decision-makers for projects financed across borders (common in Europe’s public/private co-pro landscape).

Responsibilities: Structures financing, tax-credit optimisation, broadcaster windows and producer partners.

When to contact: Before final budget sign-off when co-financing is needed to reach commissioning thresholds.

What converts: Clear co-prod plan, national broadcaster attachments, legal-ready agreements and tax-credit eligibility documents.

7. Head of Legal / Rights & Business Affairs

Who they are: Legal teams that validate rights, clearances and contract terms.

Responsibilities: Approve deal structures, rights windows, residuals, and format fees.

When to contact: Late negotiation stage, or early if complex IP or format rights are involved.

What converts: Clean chain of title, pre-cleared assets (music, archive), and realistic revenue splits.

8. Head of Finance / Commissioning Finance

Who they are: Financial gatekeepers who assess budgets, co-financing, and P&L impact.

Responsibilities: Approve cost structure, payment schedules, and ROI modelling.

When to contact: When you move from development to guaranteed production funding.

What converts: Transparent budgets, contingency plans, and third-party pre-sales or tax incentives lined up.

9. Head of Marketing / Audience Insights

Who they are: Teams responsible for launch strategy, audience growth and retention metrics.

Responsibilities: Approves promotional plans, target demos and platform roll-out timing.

When to contact: Pre-launch planning; bring them early if talent or format needs special marketing support.

What converts: Marketing hooks, audience personas, and measurable acquisition KPIs.

10. Platform Ops / Distribution & Scheduling

Who they are: Teams handling metadata, deliverables, and scheduling across territories.

Responsibilities: Delivery timelines, asset specs, and window planning.

When to contact: During contracting and delivery phases.

What converts: Clean delivery deck, localization plan and accessibility assets (subtitles, dubs).

Buyer archetypes in EMEA — who fits where

Understanding buyer archetypes helps you pick the correct role to approach.

• Global streamers (Netflix, Prime, Disney+, Apple): centralised strategy, regional Heads of Originals. They want scalable IP and attached talent.
• Public broadcasters (BBC, RAI, France Télévisions, ZDF): mandate-driven, prefer local-language, often require cultural partners and co-financing.
• Commercial free-to-air (ITV, TF1): format-first, returning unscripted/format franchises.
• Pay & regional platforms (Sky, Viaplay): premium scripted, sport-adjacent or prestige factuals.
• Indie consolidators (Banijay/All3Media discussions in 2026): if merged groups finalise deals, they become one-stop buyers/distributors for formats and IP.

Pitching playbook — role-specific tactics and templates

The correct content and timing vary by role. Use these playbooks to adapt your outreach.

For Commissioners / VPs (Scripted & Unscripted)

1. Subject line: Project title — 90s sizzle + one-line hook + key talent
2. Lead with a one-paragraph creative hook; attach a one-pager and a 90–120s sizzle or visual pitch.
3. Include talent attachments and a short development timeline (3 bullets).
4. Offer a quick follow-up: “I can send a 6-slide deck or schedule a 15-min call next week.”

For Heads of Originals / Content Chiefs

1. Warm intro preferred. If cold, lead with audience and financial upside (e.g., cross-territory appeal, estimated viewing cohort).
2. Provide a clear plan for international rollout and co-pro partners.
3. Attach high-level budget band, rights ask and talent CVs.

For Heads of Co-Productions / Acquisitions

1. Share a complete deal memo: rights, windows, pre-sales, tax-credit letters and delivery schedule.
2. Be explicit about exclusivity windows and ancillary rights (merch, format sales).
3. Mention prior festival/sales traction if available.

Practical checklists: Documents to have ready

• One-pager — logline, tone, length, episode plan, target demo.
• Pitch deck (6–12 slides) — talent, visual references, episode breakdown, market case.
• 90–120s sizzle — high-impact, mobile-first preferred.
• Deal memo — rights, windows, financing structure and attached partners.
• Budget summary — top-line band, contingency, co-pro asks.
• Tax-credit & location notes — eligibility and expected rebates.
• Legal checklist — chain of title, music clearances, format protections.

Signals that someone can move the greenlight needle

When you get these signals, escalate your pitch and loop in financing/legal:

• They ask for a budget band or delivery schedule.
• They request a non-confidential deck and sizzle.
• They suggest a meeting with Head of Finance or Head of Co-Productions.
• They propose attaching a sales agent or distributor.

Market & networking play (where to meet decision-makers in 2026)

Face time still matters. Prioritise these for warm intros and follow-ups:

• MIPCOM / MIPTV — commissioning roundtables and buyer-seller sessions.
• Berlinale Series Market — strong for prestige scripted and festival-ready projects.
• Series Mania — platform buyers and commissioners focused on scripted series.
• Local festivals and broadcaster showcases — strategic for public broadcasters and regional platforms.

2026 trends to bake into your pitch

1. Consolidation awareness: Mention how your rights and aggregator strategy work with potential corporate partners (e.g., merged indies). Buyers prefer fewer fragmented rights.
2. Data & audience signals: Provide quick audience evidence (viewing cohorts, social presence, influencer-led metrics for IP with digital provenance).
3. Format scalability: Platforms want formats that travel regionally — show clear format mechanics and localisation notes.
4. Production resilience: Highlight contingency plans (insurance, alternate shoot locations) given global supply-chain lessons learned by 2025.
5. Sustainability & ESG: Include sustainable production commitments; many commissioners now ask for carbon plans.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Pitfall: Pitching the wrong role. Fix: Map roles from this directory and tailor accordingly.
• Pitfall: Overloading attachments. Fix: Start lean (one-pager + sizzle), share deeper materials on request.
• Pitfall: Ignoring co-pro and tax credit realities. Fix: Have a co-pro plan and tax-credit estimate ready for EU markets.
• Pitfall: Not showing audience proof for influencer-led IP. Fix: Include platform analytics, engagement rates and monetisation history.

Example outreach timeline (practical)

1. Week 0: Warm intro or cold email to the correct commissioner with one-pager and sizzle.
2. Week 1–2: If interest, send 6–12 slide deck and proposed budget band; schedule 15-min call.
3. Week 3–6: Commissioner requests internal review — prepare deal memo and attach legal/finance notes.
4. Week 6–12: Negotiation with Heads of Finance/Legal; loop in co-pro partners and finalize commission terms.

Quick reference: Email subject lines that get opened

• For commissioners: "[PROJECT]: 90s sizzle + one-line hook — Talent Attached"
• For Heads of Originals: "Local drama with international upside — co-pro ready"
• For Acquisitions: "Finished docuseries — 3 territories pre-sold, festival winner"

Closing analysis: who truly moves the needle post-promotions

Promotions like those at Disney+ EMEA in late 2025 — elevating commissioners into VP roles — are not cosmetic. They consolidate decision-making power at the commissioner level and shorten the route from idea to greenlight. At the same time, consolidation among producers and distributors compresses where rights and format decisions are made. For European producers and influencers, the practical implications are simple:

• Pitch smarter, not broader: Target commissioners and Heads of Originals first; loop finance/legal only when they ask.
• Prepare modular materials: One-pager + sizzle for commissioners; deck + deal memo for Heads of Originals and Co-Prod teams.
• Build strategic relationships: Warm intros at markets and via agents remain the fastest route to a greenlight.

Actionable next steps (for your immediate to-do list)

1. Update your contact map: mark recent promotions (e.g., Disney+ EMEA promotions in late 2025) and who now holds commissioner titles.
2. Create a 90-second sizzle and a one-pager for your top three projects this quarter.
3. Identify two commissioners and one Head of Originals to target per project — and prepare tailored subject lines from the examples above.
4. Prepare a basic deal memo and tax-credit summary you can share within 72 hours of an expression of interest.

Call to action

Need a ready-to-send pitch kit tailored to EMEA commissioners and Heads of Originals? Subscribe to our creators’ toolkit at pronews.us and download the 2026 EMEA Pitch Pack: one-pager templates, 90s sizzle checklist and a commissioner-ready deal memo. Sign up for our monthly rundown to get live updates on promotions, M&A moves and who’s actually signing the cheques — so you can stop guessing and start closing.

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