RTL names new group-wide content chief

Pan-European broadcast group RTL has appointed Jan Peter Lacher to the new role of senior vice-president content within its central organisation.

Jan Peter Lacher

RTL said the new role would bundle overarching content areas across the Group.

Lacher, who is currently chief transformation officer at RTL Deutschland, will take on his new role on August 1.

As SVP content at RTL Group, he will work with the programme managers of the group’s broadcaster subsidiaries and streaming services on the development and production of new formats and series.

Lacher will also focus on building partnerships with external creatives and production companies, alongside creating stronger relationships between RTL’s broadcasters and production subsidiary Fremantle.

In his new position, he will report to Andreas Fischer, EVP of business development at RTL Group.

Lacher started his career at RTL Deutschland in 2000 as executive assistant to the head of programming at flagship channel RTL. Since then, he has held various executive positions in the areas of programming, strategy and transformation. He was also responsible for the successful launch of the linear TV channels Nitro and RTL Up. Most recently, he was appointed EVP programme strategy and planning in February 2019, followed by chief planning and cooperation officer and head of transformation office in March 2021.

He has served as chief transformation officer at RTL Deutschland since April 2022.

Thomas Rabe, CEO of RTL Group, said: “I am pleased to welcome Jan Peter to our Corporate team in Cologne. With his long-term expertise, international network and execution knowledge, he is the right person to foster co-operational partnerships and drive efficiencies in content sourcing and production across the Group. I wish Jan Peter all the best in his new position.”

Lacher said: “I would like to thank my colleagues at RTL Deutschland for 23 years of great cooperation. Now, I am looking forward to working on an international level to expand and develop overarching content topics among RTL Group’s broadcasters and streamers.”