Banijay taps former Twitter France MD Damien Viel for digital, marketing role

Banijay has created a new role for tech veteran Damien Viel, with the former MD for Twitter in France joining the production and distribution giant as chief digital and marketing officer.

Damien Viel

Banijay said Viel will take charge of the 21-territory-strong group’s overarching marketing and digital diversification strategies, reporting to CEO Marco Bassetti.

Viel had a seven-year stint as Twitter’s MD in France, a role he departed late last year. He led the social media giant’s local business development and operations, which included the negotiation and management of country-level partnerships.

During 2018 and 2020, he was also a strategy committee member for Idinvest/Eurazeo. With a strong track record in the digital space, Viel spent 2011 to 2015 at Google, the latter part as director, YouTube and Google Brand solutions for Southern/Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Prior to his time at Google, Viel was deputy general manager for M6 Publicité, the advertising arm of M6 Group.

Bassetti said: “Our industry is in an undeniable period of flux, and with further digital diversification on the horizon, we are keen to capitalise on innovation avenues to ensure we maintain our position as a frontrunner in the market.

“In Damien, we have a visionary leader, with a track record that speaks for itself, and he will be a great asset to our group as we look to further fulfil our growth ambitions and elevate our brand on the global stage. In embarking on what will no doubt be a transformative journey, we are committed to bolstering the creative environment we offer our talent to ensure creativity always prospers.”

Viel added: “Digital innovation has rapidly changed how audiences consume content and, importantly, how leading storymakers share it. While tech advancements are often met with scepticism given their complexity, I’m a firm believer that innovation, creative technologies, AI and a customer-focused approach only bring further opportunity, and that is what I am keen to explore at Banijay.”