Long-Serving ZDF Studios International Exec Volker Lehmann To Retire After 30 Years; Eva Kamin Rises

Jesse Whittock
·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: ZDF Studios is saying goodbye to one of its longest-serving international execs.

Volker Lehmann, Vice President Acquisitions and Coproductions, ZDF, at the pubcaster’s commercial arm, is retiring at the end of June “to pursue new challenges.”

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He has been at the German broadcaster for more than 30 years, licensing content for ZDF and its family of channels. Since 2013, he has been head of the ZDF acquisitions and co-productions department, which negotiates commercial terms for content buys and co-pros. This includes ZDF, Franco-German cultural channel ARTE, 3sat, children’s channel Phoenix and ZDF’s digital channels ZDFneo and ZDFinfo.

Eva Kamin will take over as Vice President, Acquisitions and Coproductions for ZDF on 1 July. A lawyer by training, she began at ZDF Studios in 2006 as a corporate lawyer, responsible for contract management for the network and the commercial wing. In 2011, she moved to the acquisitions and co-productions division, where she was most recently responsible for scripted series licences and international co-productions in the area of series, as well as framework agreements and partnerships on behalf of ZDF and ZDF Studios.

“We are delighted to have Eva Kamin as our new head of department,” said Markus Sch?fer, President and CEO of ZDF Studios. “She has many years of knowledge of the market, ZDF’s partners and excellent relationships with international business partners.”

“As a media lawyer, she is the ideal person for this position to negotiate international programme acquisitions and partnerships that meet the programming needs of the ZDF network. At the same time, we would like to thank Volker Lehmann for his many years of service as an experienced international programme buyer and head of department. With his commercial and programming expertise and his personality, he has earned the respect of all our business partners.”

The personal change is among the most significant at ZDF Studios since Sch?fer replaced Fred Burcksen in July 2022.

Commenting on her new role, Kamin said: “I am delighted to have been entrusted with this important and exciting role. In today’s highly dynamic market environment, the negotiation of programme acquisitions and international co-productions, as well as framework agreements and partnerships, is becoming increasingly important. I look forward to working with my team to contribute to ZDF’s success.”

Headquartered in Mainz, ZDF Studios operates more than 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries across Europe, and sells a large library of programs. The company was at Seriencamp last week launching Frank Doelger’s Concordia alongside co-distributor Beta Film.

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