Greece’s Antenna poaches NBCUniversal channels MD

Greek broadcast group Antenna has appointed Tariq Syed as its managing director of thematic channels and digital.

Syed joins from NBCUniversal where he was managing director, Central Europe for the Studio’s channels division Universal Networks International. Prior to that he was vice president of business development at NBCUniversal.

At Antenna he will oversee the Greek company’s portfolio of pay TV channels with a remit to expand their reach into new territories. He will also oversee investments in digital platforms and services.

Syed will report to another former NBCUniversal executive, Pete Smith, who joined the Greek company last year as managing director. Smith said: “Having worked closely with Tariq in the past, I am very excited to welcome him to our team and confident that his wide knowledge and extensive experience will contribute significantly to our ambitious goals.”

The appointment comes as Antenna seeks to expands in TV and digital in its domestic market and further afield. It recently struck a content partnership deal with youth media brand Vice as well as financial partnership with media-focused merchant bank The Raine Group.