Independent French TV Production Company Pernel Media today announces at MIPTV the appointment of renowned primetime factual producer Fabrice Frank as Executive Producer.

Fabrice joins Pernel from French indie producer Elephant where he has been Documentary Exec Producer for the company’s factual division for over a decade. While there, Fabrice produced a range of high-quality primetime factual programmes with a strong public service remit including ‘So Be Macron’ and ‘The Curse of the Vologne’ for France 3, ‘Funding the French Resistance’ for France 2 (directed by David Korn-Brzoza) and ‘The Eloquence of a Deaf Lawyer’ for Arte.

Prior to this, Fabrice was Head of Development at Elephant & CIE between 2007 and 2009 where he acquired and developed major entertainment and factual formats. Fabrice started his career in the Documentary department of Gaumont Television.

In his role at Pernel Media, Fabrice is tasked with using his primetime factual expertise to grow Pernel’s primetime factual output in the domestic and international marketplace. Based in Paris, he will report directly to Pernel Media President Samuel Kissous and begins his role with immediate effect.

“I’m excited that a seasoned professional of Fabrice’s calibre has joined the Pernel Media team. His appointment is confirmation of Pernel’s coming of age as a major factual player in the domestic and international marketplace and fits in perfectly with our ongoing strategy to create internationally appealing factual series and blue-chip coproductions,” said Samuel Kissous, President of Pernel Media.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Pernel Media at such an exciting time for the company. It is a fantastic opportunity to use my background in the current affairs, culture and history genres to develop ambitious documentaries with a broad appeal for the international market,” said Fabrice Frank, Executive Producer, Pernel Media.

Pernel Media is one of France’s leading factual producers and is behind major series including ‘20 Years on Death Row’ for 13ème Rue and UKTV, ‘Extreme Lands’ for France 5, three series of ‘Wheeler Dealers France’ for RMC Decouverte and major hit docu-drama series ‘The Real War of Thrones: A History of Europe’ for France 5, which has sold to more than 35 territories worldwide and is now entering its third season.

Last month, the company officially launched its drama division with the coproduction of new English-language short film ‘3 Sleeps’. A number of other scripted projects are currently in development.