CEO, Keshet Media Group
Named the #1 Most Influential Person in Israeli Culture by Israel's top
national Newspaper Haaretz in 2013, Avi Nir is the Chief Executive
Officer of the Keshet Media Group and has led the company's charge to
secure and maintain its position as the leading broadcaster in Israel
averaging a weekly primetime share of more than 40 percent. As well as
delivering high quality content for his home audience, Nir and his team
are now bringing his passion for excellence in television to the world
by selling, co-developing and co-producing sophisticated shows for the
international market. Under Nir, privately owned Keshet has become a
top content supplier overseas enjoying global success with its high
quality shows and with Nir actively engaged in many international
adaptations. Notably, Nir serves as an Executive Producer on Showtime's
Emmy® and Golden Globe® winning drama Homeland, for which he was
personally awarded an Emmy® when the show was named Outstanding Drama
Series in 2012. Prisoners of War, Keshet's original Israeli show upon
which Homeland is based, has sold to more than 20 territories
internationally.
Through Keshet International, the company's global production and
distribution arm, Nir has introduced Keshet's quality content
throughout the world. Working with KI's CEO Alon Shtruzman, Nir has
found widespread international success for the company's formats.
Highlights include: the trailblazing interactive talent show format
Rising Star which has sold to more than 25 territories since its
introduction at MIPCOM 2013 and most recently BOOM! the much talked
about game show format which launched at MIPTV 2014 and sold quickly to
several international broadcasters, including Fox in the US. In
November 2013, Keshet sold Nir and Homeland creator Gideon Raff's
original drama show concept Dig to Universal Cable Productions which
will premiere six episodes on USA Network in late 2014. A further two
Keshet International scripted properties, the spy thriller M.I.C.E (aka
Allegiance) and family sitcom Your Family or Mine were also ordered to
series in May 2014 by leading US networks NBC and TBS for 2015.
Nir serves as a Director on the Board of The International Academy of
Television Arts & Sciences, working with the rest of the Executive
Committee to steer the design and execution of the Academy's programs.
Nir and Keshet also host INTV, an annual high-profile international
conference focused on innovation in television, held in Jerusalem.
Nir has also initiated many of the company's successful new media
operations, establishing Keshet as a pioneer of cutting edge digital,
dual screen and cross-platform tools and products. He launched Keshet's
online portal, Mako, which ranked in the top 3 websites in Israel
within just one year. He further diversified Keshet's portfolio with
the acquisition of popular music platform Channel 24 in 2009. Nir has
led Keshet in establishing successful joint ventures and the in-house
production company Bip, as well as a number of e-commerce and lifestyle
websites.
After joining the company in 1993, Nir quickly rose up through its the
ranks, serving as VP of Marketing and Sales from 1995 to 1999, then
heading Keshet's core business as VP of Programming. He was appointed
Chief Executive Officer in 2002 and was later named "Executive of the
Year" and "Television Personality of the Decade" respectively by
Israel's top financial magazines, The Marker and Globes.
In 1994, Nir co-authored the influential media-business book
Advertising in Television: The Media, the Message, the Money. Born in
Jerusalem, Nir received his MA and MBA from the Tel Aviv University
Graduate School of Business, where he was awarded the Sigal Prize for
excellence in marketing research. He also taught in the University's
Faculty of Management, as well as its Department of Film and
Television.
