In what is likely being viewed as a major foray, Sony Pictures Television has hired Mathew Justice – a veteran British industry vet and currently managing director of Big Talk, owned by ITV Studios – for the newly created role of executive vice president, chief of the United Kingdom and Europe.
Justice, who reports to SPT President of International Productions Wayne Garvie, will directly lead the company’s International Studio operations and European co-productions, working closely with SPT International Production’s wholly owned and joint venture production companies in the region , including Bad Wolf (Are dark materials, Industry), eleven movies (Sex education) and left bank pictures (The crown). He will join later this year.
“Joining Wayne and the team at SPT is a dream come true,” said Justice. “The SPT labels are excellent, so it’s a rare honor to work with them and the people behind them. Helping SPT’s UK and European business grow is an extremely appetizing prospect and one I can’t wait to hang onto. I leave Big Talk, my home for the past 16 years, in the very best of hands and will watch with admiration and pride as they continue to excel in everything they do.”
Justice has been a CEO of Big Talk since 2007, when he co-led the award-winning film and television production company, which was originally founded in 1994, with Kenton Allen.
Over the past 16 years, Justice and the team have been responsible for a large number of films Attack the block, Tourists, Cuban anger And Man upand critically acclaimed hit TV shows including Free Agents, Rev, He her, Raised by wolves, Mom, Cold feet, Friday night dinner, The Going Wrong Show And The outlaws.
Most recently, he served as an executive producer on Season 3 of Stephen Merchant’s comedy thriller The outlaws for BBC/Amazon, the series Noel Fielding as British highwayman Dick Turpin for Apple TV+ and Dinner with the parents for Amazon Freevee. In addition to being a producer, Justice was also the commercial face of Big Talk, leading negotiations for its sale to ITV Studios in 2013.
“These are fantastic times at SPT and they have only gotten better,” said Garvie. “Matthew is a highly respected figure in the British television and film industry – together he and Kenton Allen have made Big Talk a major international player. Matthew is a smart operator, a strategic thinker and, just as important, a very good person. He brings exactly what we need to build our UK and European business into an even greater force. Everyone at Sony and our labels are very excited to have him join the team.”
