Former Channel 4 commissioner and Big Brother producer, Ramy El-Bergamy, has been appointed as head of development at Middlesbrough’s Wander Films.
With nearly 20 years of experience in the TV industry, El-Bergamy brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Wander, taking the well established Middlesbrough based content marketing agency to the next level.
Over the last five years, Wanders team of 20 has produced social media content for brands around the world such as KPMG, Hampton by Hilton and McDonalds. The agency is now gearing up to achieve its long-held ambition of breaking into the world of TV, developing IP and original, groundbreaking formats in the factual entertainment genre.
Before joining Wander, El-Bergamy served as the on-screen diversity executive at Channel 4, where he was responsible for promoting diversity and inclusivity in on-screen talent, before moving into commissioning in the daytime team where he looked after some of the channel’s biggest brands, including Four in a Bed, Come Dine With Me and A Place in the Sun.
Under El-Bergamy’s leadership, Channel 4’s Onscreen Year of Disability initiative in 2016 saw a significant increase in diverse representation, with more than 20 of the network’s flagship programmes featuring double the number of individuals with disabilities than in previous years.
The seasoned TV exec has also served stints at ITV, STV, Lime Pictures and Endemol, among others, where he has worked on household names including The Chase, The Voice and Geordie Shore, working his way up from researcher to executive level over almost two decades.
El-Bergamy now says he will bring the same dedication and passion to his new role at Wander, where he will “help them grow their ambition of moving into TV and digital” and continue to positively impact the TV industry, aligning with Wander’s values of an inclusive culture where everyone has the opportunity to be seen and heard.
Wander founders Lou Tonner and Chloë Clover said: “We’re stoked to have a proper TV legend like Ramy join the team. It’s a super exciting time with a lot of momentum in Wander. The TV and digital space right now is ready to be shaken up and we’re going to be part of the movement.”
The appointment has been supported with match-funding from the REACH Film and TV Development Grant Award. The grant from North East Screen is designed to support the development of exceptional content for screens and support the growth of creative businesses based in the North East of England.
Lisa Laws, head of talent and business development at North East Screen, added: “Ramy’s appointment, with his exceptional track record, feels like the perfect fit to drive Wander’s broadcast TV development slate forward. He has the connections and experience to develop and win broadcast commissions. Wander brings a new voice, fresh perspectives and a real appetite for television that audiences and commissioners will love.”
