Starz Promotes Darren Nielson to EVP, International Networks
January 3, 2023
Darren Nielson has been promoted to EVP of international networks at Starz, taking over for Superna Kalle.
In his new role, Nielson reports directly to Starz president and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch. He will oversee the international division’s growth for its newly rebranded international service Lionsgate+, including P&L responsibility and all aspects of programming, distribution, marketing and publicity in the U.K., Latin America and Brazil, Canada, and Australia. He will also have oversight of Lionsgate+ original series.
Nielson joined the company in 2018 as international distribution and business development for the Starz-branded digital and linear services and channels, working closely with Kalle to develop expansion strategies, identify and evaluate partner opportunities, and source and negotiate distribution agreements with in-territory partners.
“Darren has been instrumental in building our international business working with Superna since joining the company in 2018,” Hirsch said. “He has a deep knowledge of the global streaming landscape and is a respected strategic executive. We look forward to maximizing growth and profitability of our international markets under his leadership.”
He added that Kalle “did a great job in rapidly scaling an international service from the ground up, forming many new distribution partnerships and building a robust slate of international original series. We are grateful for her leadership and dedication to the company and wish her continued success.”
Prior to joining Starz, Nielson served as director of content acquisition at Netflix, helping grow the service from a domestic DVD business into a global leader in streaming video. Nielson was instrumental in launching and building Netflix across Europe and Asia and managed global licensing relationships with major studios and local partners across both film and TV series.
Prior to Netflix, Nielson held business development positions at Sony Pictures Television and Ascent Media.