Leonine Holding

• 1. Founding And Early Years

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  On the 27th of April 1970, author and producer Walter Ulbrich established Tele München Group in Munich. The company began with a singular mission to create programming for German public television. Their first production was an adaptation of Jack London's classic novel The Sea Wolf. This initial project set the tone for decades of content dedicated to national broadcasting needs. In 1977, Herbert Kloiber and his business partner Fritz Buttenstedt purchased the fledgling studio. They expanded operations by launching Concorde Filmverleih in 1980 as their theatrical distribution subsidiary. This division allowed them to bring movies directly to cinemas across Germany. A year later, they acquired several movie theaters in Hamburg, Berlin, and Braunschweig alongside cinema operator Hans-Joachim Flebbe. The group diversified further by partnering with the Sat.1 television station in 1985 before selling those shares to launch musicbox. That same year, TMG took over Radio Xanadu, which eventually became known as Radio Energy. Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest acquired half of musicbox in 1987, laying groundwork for the channel Tele 5. Axel Springer Publishing House and CLT joined as partners in 1988. By 1989, Capital Cities / ABC bought 50 percent of the company. These early moves established a foundation of media ownership spanning film, radio, and television.

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• 2. Ownership Transitions And Acquisitions

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  The corporate landscape shifted dramatically when EM.TV & Merchandising AG announced a takeover of 49 percent of Tele München Group in September 1999. Herbert Kloiber had held the company since its inception but faced increasing pressure from global investors. Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation took control of Tm3 in 1998 and fully absorbed it two years later. In July 2011, Tele München Group secured a 33 percent stake in Odeon Film AG, a German independent production company. They increased this holding to 40 percent by November of that year, becoming the biggest shareholder in Odeon Film. The trajectory changed again when New York-based Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) agreed to purchase Tele München Group in February 2019. This deal included their world sales division Tele München International and various subsidiaries like Concorde Home Entertainment. KKR also acquired an 85 percent stake in Odeon Film and stakes in RTL II and Tele 5 from Herbert G. Kloiber. Fred Kogel was appointed CEO upon closing in April 2019 while Kloiber’s son continued leading production subsidiaries. These transitions marked a shift from family ownership to private equity dominance.

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• 3. Rebranding To Leonine Holding

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  Four days after KKR completed their acquisition of Tele München Group, they announced plans to merge with Universum Film. Bernhard zu Castell led the newly combined entity as its CEO. By late March 2019, KKR had expanded operations further by acquiring Cologne-based i&u TV. Günther Jauch remained the top television presenter running the acquired company. One month later in April, Munich-based Wiedemann & Berg Film joined the fold under KKR's umbrella. Max Wiedemann and Quirin Berg kept their roles as managing directors while adding oversight of feature film production. In September 2019, the enlarged powerhouse officially rebranded itself as Leonine. The new structure featured three main divisions: Distribution, Production, and Licensing. Leonine Distribution merged Concorde Filmverleih, TM International, and Universum Film into a single unit effective the 1st of January 2020. Leonine Production grouped together i&u TV, Wiedemann & Berg Film, and Odeon Film while maintaining separate identities. Two months after renaming, Leonine purchased the remaining share of W&B Television from Endemol Shine Group. This move reunited Wiedemann & Berg Film with its former television division. The restructuring created a German independent film and television production powerhouse.

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• 4. Expansion Into Animation And British Markets

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  In July 2021, Leonine Holding announced a joint venture with Mediawan to rebrand their production division as Mediawan & Leonine Studios. That same period marked their first entry into the British market through the acquisition of Drama Republic. Greg Brenman and Roanna Benn continued leading Drama Republic as founders and CEOs. By October 2022, Leonine entered animation production by acquiring a 25 percent minority stake in Toon2Tango. Hans Ulrich Stoef and Jo Daris held leadership roles at this Munich-based studio. In December 2023, they launched Leonine Animation Studios GmbH to take full control of Toon2Tango. The new division allowed them to develop and produce animated intellectual properties directly. Tina Wagner and Nina Etspüler took over leadership of the rebranded Madame Zheng Production in March 2022. They replaced previous executives to steer reality entertainment and documentaries. Jochen Koestler became president of the newly launched Leonine Documentaries division in March 2024. These moves signaled a strategic pivot toward diverse content genres beyond traditional scripted drama.

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• 5. The Mediawan Takeover

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  French media conglomerate Mediawan had already held a 25 percent minority stake in Leonine since 2020. In April 2024, they announced an agreement to acquire all remaining stakes in an all-stock transaction for an undisclosed sum. This deal expanded Mediawan into German production operations while turning them into a pan-European powerhouse. German authorities were expected to approve the pending subject before completion. Leonine retained its name under the new ownership structure. Fred Kogel joined Mediawan’s executive team to continue heading up Leonine's operations. The acquisition included all production companies previously owned by Leonine Holding. Mediawan Kids & Family Distribution would handle future distribution of Toon2Tango's content portfolio starting in 2025. This partnership integrated French animation studio Method Animation with German producers. The combined entity now controls major channels like RTL II and Tele 5 alongside extensive film libraries. The transition marked the end of KKR's direct control over the German firm.

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