Irina Ignatiew and Henrik Pabst have each been promoted to Managing Director of Red Arrow International. Following a period of transition, the pair will replace the departing Jens Richter and jointly lead the distribution house with Ignatiew and Pabst taking individual responsibility for global scripted distribution and global format/factual distribution, respectively. The promotions take effect immediately and both will report directly to Jan Frouman, Group Managing Director of Red Arrow Entertainment Group. In December 2013, Jens Richter announced his intention to leave Red Arrow International. Until further notice, he will continue to support Red Arrow International as Managing Director.
‘It’s never easy to say goodbye to an executive as capable and accomplished as Jens Richter. He built Red Arrow International and has been with Red Arrow Entertainment Group from the start. But, to his credit, he also assembled a stellar team and enabled us to find his successors from within. Irina and Henrik are outstanding and experienced distribution professionals. Under their future leadership, the company will continue to grow and thrive. I congratulate them both.
Finally, I would like to say that, after more than 10 years growing Red Arrow International, Jens’ decision to make a move and try something new is more than understandable. He is a consummate professional and first-rate colleague. All of us at Red Arrow wish him nothing but the best in London and at Fremantle. He will forever be a member of the Red Arrow family,” says Jan Frouman, Group Managing Director of Red Arrow Entertainment Group.
Before joining Red Arrow International in early 2012 and rising to the role of Deputy MD, Irina Ignatiew worked as Executive VP International at Telepool, as Head of International Distribution at Tandem Communications and as Sales Manager for Lionsgate. Ignatiew holds a BA in communications & marketing as well as a degree in Business of Film and Television from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Prior to joining Red Arrow in 2011 and moving up to Deputy MD, Henrik Pabst worked at IMG Media, where he was VP of Entertainment and Business Development for the German, Austrian, Swiss, and Benelux markets. His primary responsibilities included format development and distribution of entertainment programs. In addition, Pabst looked after key clients such as Red Bull or Bwin.