MBC GROUP, the largest media company in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), announces the appointment of Christina Wayne as Managing Director of MBC STUDIOS.

MBC STUDIOS is the in-house premium content production arm of MBC GROUP, a media conglomerate that operates more than 17 free-to-air satellite TV channels, two radio stations, and Shahid – the world’s leading Arabic streaming platform – amongst other offerings.

In her new role, Wayne will continue MBC Studios’ ongoing work in expanding the reach of its content to audiences around the world, leveraging the continuous trend for non-English-language television content to reach more global markets.

She takes over the role from former managing director, Peter Smith, who is moving on to pursue other ventures. He will, however, remain as an advisor to MBC Group.

Sam Barnett, Group CEO of MBC Group said,  “We’re incredibly excited to be welcoming Christina Wayne to the role of Managing Director at MBC STUDIOS. Christina brings with her a wealth of international expertise in content development and production where she has worked across a multitude of territories and languages and led the development of Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning series. We look forward to her building on the team’s successes as we continue to expand our horizons in international content even further. I would like to extend my gratitude to Peter Smith for his invaluable contributions to the growth of MBC Studios during his four-year tenure, spearheading the production of numerous flagships, including ‘Rashash’, ‘Rise of the Witches, and ‘Devil’s Promise’. Peter departs with a solid and successful team with an exciting slate of projects.”

Commenting on his appointment, Wayne further added, “I am absolutely delighted to join MBC Groupe and MBC Studios and have heard great things about the incredible team Peter and the rest of MBC has built. This is a very exciting venture for me, and I cannot wait to get fully involved in one of the world’s most exciting territories for content production.”

Prior to joining MBC Studios, Wayne was the Principal Creative Executive and Head of Canada and Australia for Amazon Studios, a role she held since September 2019, where she oversaw creative on scripted series across more than 20 countries.

She also presided over local original workshops across all territories, with a focus on interconnected series and formats.

A member of the Writers’ Guild of America since 1997, Wayne – who began her career in entertainment as a screenwriter and director – has also held positions with Assembly Entertainment, Cineflix Studios, and AMC. As senior vice-president of scripted series and miniseries for AMC, she shepherded the development and production of award-winning series including “Mad Men”, “Breaking Bad”, and “Broken Trail”.