Bio
RODOLPHE BELMER
Chief Executive Officer

Born in 1969 in Rennes, Rodolphe Belmer is a French businessman and entrepreneur. He studied at the Prytanée National Militaire before graduating from HEC with a specialization in entrepreneurship. He began his career in 1993 as Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble and then at McKinsey & Company from 1998 to 2001. This position led him to analyze and write numerous reports on the situation of the audiovisual in France.

Between 2001 and 2015, Rodolphe Belmer built his career within the Canal+ Group, being appointed as Chief Executive Officer in 2003, before serving as Group Chief Executive Officer from 2012 to 2015. Over those 14 years, he relaunched the group's free offer, put on air programs such as "Le Petit Journal" by Yann Barthès and « creations originales » like Le Bureau des Légendes, Engrenages, Les Revenants...

In 2016 he joined the satellite operator Eutelsat Communications as Managing Director. He then became CEO of Atos, the European leader in cloud, cybersecurity and supercomputers in 2022.

In addition to these activities, Rodolphe Belmer is president of the foundation created by SACD - Auteurs Solidaires - since 2018. This fondation aims to engage in cultural actions to improve social ties and integration for all. From 2019 to 2022, he chaired the Séries Mania festival, which annually welcomes more than 3,000 professionals from the global serial industry and an average of 72,000 spectators. He was also a board member of Netflix from 2018 until October 27, 2022, when he took over as Executive Officer of TF1 Group. Rodolphe Belmer is nominated CEO after the board of directors of February, 13, 2023. 

 Since the beginning of 2024, Rodolphe Belmer has been a member of the board of directors of Culture Relax. The aim of this  organisation is to support the cultural institutions in the implementation of the accessibility standards of their projects.

Ara APRIKIAN
Executive Vice President, Content

Born in 1966, Ara Aprikian is a graduate of ENSAE (the French National School of Statistics and Business Administration) and of the Politics, Economics and Social Sciences faculty at the Paris Institute of Political Studies (“Sciences Po”). 
He began his career in 1990 as a research officer at Horizon Média, a media buying agency. He moved to Médiamétrie in 1993, where he continued to work in research.
It was in 1995 that Ara Aprikian joined the TF1 Group in the Marketing department, initially as a research officer before being promoted in 1998 to Deputy Director of Marketing and Programme Planning. Three years later he took over responsibility for Gameshows and Reality TV, before becoming Director of Gameshows, Variety and Entertainment in 2003.
In 2005, he moved to the pay-TV group Canal+, where he headed up the Entertainment unit before launching the Group’s D8 and D17 freeview channels in October 2012. He then became Executive Vice President of the Canal+ group with responsibility for freeview operations (D8, D17 and itélé), and Chairman of D8 and D17.
In September 2015, he founded Massoco, an audiovisual strategy consultancy. In October 2015, the TF1 Group commissioned Ara Aprikian to carry out a consultancy assignment on the editorial positioning of the Group’s free-to-air channels.
In February 2016, Ara Aprikian was appointed Executive Vice President, Content. He is responsible for all television programmes, acquisitions, production and broadcasting. The objective: to encourage the creation of new content, and to promote the distribution of that content on the Group’s TV channels, and across the MYTF1 platform and all digital media.
In September 2019, Ara Aprikian took over responsibility for the newly-formed Music and Live Shows business unit; in addition, the subsidiary TF1 Films Production now reports directly to him.

 

 

Claire BASINI
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF BtoC ACTIVITIES

Born in 1976, Claire Basini is an ESSEC graduate. After 2 years as a strategy consultant at Braxton Associates, she decided to spend a few years developing her theatre company before joining L’Oréal, where for 8 years she was in charge of marketing for Dessange and Elsève brands which were facing strong challenges of modernization and internationalization.

In 2010, she joined the Canal+ group as Head of Canalsat, in 2014 she became Head of Theme Channels and then in 2016 she became the group’s Head of Digital.

In 2019, she became CEO of Seasonly, a digital cosmetic brand co-founded with Fany Péchiodat, creator of MyLittleParis.

In 2020, Claire became Deputy CEO of Brut in charge of new businesses, such as the launch of the BrutX streaming platform.

Claire joined TF1 group in January 2023 as Executive Vice President of BtoC businesses.

Bio
Pierre BRANCO
Chief Executive Officer of Newen Studios

During a 17-year career at Warner, Pierre Branco (aged 41) held a variety of management posts in Europe. In each of those posts, he played a key role in delivering the group’s international strategy and developing high added value projects in TV, digital and streaming. 

From June 2021, he held the post of Country Manager for France, Benelux and Africa, with responsibility for all of Warner’s local operations: films, TV and video sales, TV channels, streaming and local production. Under his leadership, Warner France launched some of its latest successful French cinema releases: "Simone, le voyage du siècle" (no.1 French film at the box office in 2022) and "Bernadette" in 2023.

 Pierre Branco holds a Masters in Political Sciences from IEP Paris, and a Masters in Media Management from the Sorbonne. He also holds a Masters Degree in Contemporary History, also from the Sorbonne.

Bio
JULIE BURGUBURU
GENERAL COUNSEL

Born in 1975, Julie Burguburu studied at the Ecole nationale d’administration and is a graduate of Sciences Po Paris. She also holds a Masters of Advanced Studies in General Private Law from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Assas, and a Masters in International Relations and International Economics from the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC.

She joined TF1 group as General Counsel in January 2023.

A member of the Conseil d’Etat, Julie Burguburu spent nine years there at various times: as Public Rapporteur to the 6th Chamber of the Litigation section (2017-2019); Government Commissioner to the 10th sub-section of the Litigation section (2008-2010); Manager of the Documentation Centre of the Tax section (2007-2008), Rapporteur to the Employment Law section (2006-2007); and Rapporteur to the 9th sub-section of the Litigation section (2003-2007). From 2010 to 2014, she served as Vice President of Veolia China in Shanghai, with responsibility for transformation. Julie Burguburu has also held a number of managerial roles within the French government. From 2014 to 2016 she was Deputy Chief of Staff to Claude Bartolone, the President of the National Assembly; she then served in the same role for Bernard Cazeneuve from 2016 to 2017, during his time first as Minister of the Interior and then as Prime Minister. In March 2019, she was appointed as General Counsel and a member of the Executive Committee at Eutelsat, where she was responsible for all aspects of governance, compliance and legal affairs, alongside institutional and international affairs.

Since April 2022, Julie Burguburu has served on the Board of the French Competition Authority in her capacity as an economic leader from the private sector. A Knight of the National Order of Merit, Julie Burguburu is also a former commission member at the IHEDN, a French defence think tank, where she took part in the 71st defence policy session. She is a Board member of a number of non-profits, including the Paris Museum of Decorative Arts, and a reservist in the French Air Force.

Maylis ÇARÇABAL
Executive Vice President Communication and Brands

Born in 1971 and a graduate of ESCP business school, Maylis Çarçabal began her career in 1995 in the Consulting department at Carat.
She then joined the Voyage TV channel, where she was part of the founding team in 1996 before taking on responsibilities in editorial and digital.
After a further spell at Carat between 2001 and 2003, Maylis Çarçabal moved to the TMC channel – which at the time belonged to the Pathé group – as Head of Communication and Marketing, playing a role in the channel’s relaunch on free-to-air digital terrestrial TV. After the TF1 Group took a majority stake in TMC, she remained in that role until 2009, when she joined the TF1 Communication department, as Assistant Head of Programme Promotion.
Her role was subsequently extended to take in communication for the Group’s DTT channels, Innovation & Digital, and News. She was appointed Vice President Communication and Brands on 12 March 2018.

 

Raphaëlle DEFLESSELLE
HEAD OF TECHNOLOGIES AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Born in 1972, Raphaëlle Deflesselle is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique Féminine (EPF).
She joined Bouygues Telecom in 1996 and worked on the rollout of network supervision tools within the Network Operations department.
Then from 1999 to 2009, she held a variety of managerial posts within technical functions. In 2010, she was appointed Head of Performance for the IT department, and then as Head of IT Infrastructures in 2013.
Until 2019, she held a parallel role as Head of IT Governance, Research and Transformation in the Bouygues Telecom IT department. Since June 2019, she has served as Head of Operations and Projects at Bouygues Telecom Entreprises.

Pierre-Alain GERARD
Executive Vice President Finance, Strategy and Procurement

Born in 1981, Pierre-Alain Gérard is a graduate of Ecole Centrale de Lyon and holds a Masters in Corporate Finance from EM Lyon. Pierre-Alain began his career in M&A in London, initially at Bank of America and then at Morgan Stanley.
He joined Bouygues Group in 2009, and until 2019 worked in the Finance/Strategy function, first at Bouygues SA and then at Bouygues Energies & Services and finally at Bouygues Immobilier.
In 2019, he was appointed Central Head of Strategy, Development and Financial Control at Bouygues. Working alongside senior management and in liaison with the business segments, he led on strategic and financial planning for Bouygues group; he was responsible for financial control at Group level, including quarterly and annual financial reporting. He also handled development projects such as Bouygues Telecom’s acquisition of EIT and more recently, Bouygues SA’s acquisition of Equans.
In early 2023, Pierre-Alain Gérard joined TF1 Group as Executive Vice President Finance, Strategy and Procurement.

Bio VL (EN)
Valérie LANGUILLE
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT HUMAN RELATIONS & CSR

A graduate of ESSEC business school and holder of a Masters Degree in Sociology, Valérie Languille began her career with Sociovision and Gemini Consulting (Capgemini group), working as a consultant on human resources and change management projects within a number of major companies.

In 2002, she joined a Caisse d’Epargne group subsidiary as head of Human Resources, before moving to the group HR function in 2006. There she served in various roles, including Head of Recruitment and Talent Development and subsequently Vice-President for Executive and Management Development at the BPCE group.

Valérie joined the Canal+ group in 2011 as head of Human Resources at Studiocanal, before taking charge in 2016 of Human Resources at the pay-TV and free-to-air broadcasting division. From February 2017 to February 2022, she served as Head of Human Resources at the Canal+ group.

In the same year, Valérie obtained a Company Directorship Certificate from EM Lyon business school.

As well as her professional work, Valérie is also heavily involved in promoting female leadership. She has previously co-founded a number of initiatives including Financi'elles and Essec Women Alumni.

 

François PELLISSIER
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT BUSINESS AND SPORTS

Born in 1971, François Pellissier joined the TF1 Group in 1995 as part of the team in the TF1 Publicité marketing department. He then moved to the internet sales department, becoming its Director in 2001.
In 2005 François Pellissier was appointed Associate Director for sponsorship and diversification, and in 2006 he took up the post of Associate Director of WAT.
In 2007, François Pellissier joined TF1 Production as Vice President.
In 2010, he became Vice President of TF1 Production with responsibility for sport, shorts and trailers, and in September 2014 he took charge of Sports Rights Acquisitions.
In September 2016, François Pellissier was appointed Managing Director of TF1 Production.
In 2019, he was appointed Managing Director of TF1 PUB and Sport at the TF1 Group. He has also been Chairman of TF1 Entertainment since 1 September 2019.

 

 

 

 

Thierry THUILLIER
Executive Vice President of News

Born in 1963 and a graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Studies, Thierry Thuillier joined TF1’s Foreign Policy Department in 1990, later moving to the Interior Policy Department.
Thierry Thuillier joined France 2 News in 1994, where he was successively in charge of the International Department and the Investigation and Reporting Department, then served as Editor-in-Chief of the nightly 8 o’clock newscast.
Thierry Thuillier then became head of editorial at I>Télé, holding that position from 2008 to 2010 before returning to France Télévisions as News Director, later becoming CEO of France 2. He was the force behind the merger of the editorial staff on France’s public-sector channels, pioneering a fresh approach to news programming.
Thierry Thuillier joined the TF1 Group in August 2016 and was appointed CEO of La Chaîne Info (LCI). Working alongside Catherine Nayl, he initiated LCI’s makeover, improving its programming schedule and digital offer and restructuring the editorial staff.
In 2017, LCI became France’s second most-watched news channel.
Thierry Thuillier was appointed Executive Vice President of News for the TF1 Group in September 2017.