Explaining his vision at a presentation and informal conversation with Rola Bauer, Studiocanal managing director, Jensen told MIPTV delegates that NENT Group’s strategy is based on three interlinked equations: technology, content and people.

The Nordic group listed on Nasdaq Stockholm was an early digital player and invested €350 million in technology and its streaming platform Viaplay, available in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. “This allowed us to compete and to be ahead of the game,” noted Jensen for whom it’s important to “partner with those with technology to do the content justice.”

He acknowledged that the arrival of Netflix disrupted the market and forced the group to up its level of ambitions and to focus even more on local scripted content, through its constellation of 32 companies across 17 countries, and third party deals. “Paying for exclusivity is not a model for the future. It’s the locality that will make a difference,” he asserted.

Twice as much TV drama
To fight off Netflix, Amazon Prime and new heavyweights such as Disney and Apple, Jensen said NENT’s goal is to double its output of Nordic content, from the current 20 annual original TV dramas to 40.

“Our wish is to have something big and exciting happening every week on our service,” said Jensen who insists on creating “local content that can travel”.

However going it alone is not an option for NENT’s CEO, who said he needs commercial partners with ‘competence, craftsmanship and courage’. “Risks is something investors don’t like, but that you simply have to take in today’s market,” insisted Jensen, stating that NENT’s own profits are systematically reinvested in new content.

Looking at existing partnerships, the NENT Group’s CEO cited the close collaboration with Studiocanal on series such as The Lawyer, Pros & Cons, and Måns Mårlind’s upcoming English-language thriller Shadowplay starring Taylor Kitsch. The thriller set in post-war Berlin starts filming later this month.
Another partnership was sealed recently with Filmnation, to create English-language content from London. Plans in the US will soon be announced according to Jensen.