CHRIS CULVENOR
Co-CEO

Chris Culvenor is among the world’s most successful and prolific TV program creators and producers responsible for a long list of hit TV franchises both in the US and Australia. Shows that Culvenor has created include Frogger (NBC Peacock), Holey Moley (ABC), Dating Around (Netflix), Fake Off (TruTV) The Big Deal (TNT), Billion Dollar Buyer (CNBC), Restaurant Startup (CNBC), Going Wild (NatGeo), The Chefs’ Line (SBS), The Real Dirty Dancing (Seven), Behave Yourself (Seven), The Single Wives (Seven) and WAG Nation (Arena).

In 2016, Culvenor co-founded Eureka Productions with Paul Franklin and in his position as CO-CEO has lead the company to become an unscripted powerhouse. To date, Eureka Productions has launched over 35 series in the United States, Canada and Australia and the company has produced over 300 hours of programming.

Prior to co-founding Eureka, Culvenor held the position of Senior Vice President, Development at Endemol Shine America, the world’s largest independent production company. In this role, Culvenor was responsible for building and selling the company’s extensive program slate and management of the unscripted creative team. During Culvenor’s three years in this role, the company more than tripled its programming output, launching new series including MasterChef Junior (Fox), The Island (NBC), Riot (Fox), Hunted (CBS), Fake Off (TruTV), Going Wild (NatGeo Wild), The Face (Oxygen), Restaurant Startup (CNBC) Billon Dollar Buyer (CNBC) and Minute to Win it (GSN).

Culvenor enjoyed similar success in his previous role as the Head of Development at Shine Australia. As one of the company’s first appointments, Culvenor was responsible for the development and sale of the programming slate. During his time at Shine Australia, the company grew from a start-up into the country’s largest production company launching a vast slate of programs including The Voice (Nine), MasterChef (Ten), Dating in the Dark (Foxtel), Australia’s Next Top Model (Foxtel), Wag Nation (Foxtel), Aussie Pickers (A&E Australia), The Biggest Loser (Ten) and The Observer Effect (SBS).

PAUL FRANKLIN
Co-CEO

Paul Franklin is one of the world’s leading TV producers, responsible for the creative execution of numerous hit television franchises. Franklin has been the Supervising Executive Producer and creative architect behind Eureka’s long string of series including Holey Moley (ABC), Luxe Listings Sydney (Amazon), The Amazing Race Australia (Ten), Dating Around (Netflix), Crikey! It’s the Irwins (Animal Planet), Pick, Flip and Drive (Facebook), The Launch (CTV), The Chefs’ Line (SBS), Behave Yourself (Seven), The Single Wives (Seven),The Real Dirty Dancing (Seven) and The Amazing Race (Ten)

In 2016, Franklin co-founded Eureka Productions with Chris Culvenor and in his position as CO-CEO has lead the company to be a world leader in unscripted. To date, Eureka Productions has launched over 35 series in the United States, Canada and Australia and the company has produced over 300 hours of programming.

Prior to co-founding Eureka, Franklin served as Executive Vice President, Programming, at Shine America for three years where he launched and managed the company’s unscripted programming department. During his time at Shine America, Franklin was responsible for and served as an executive producer on such hit series as MasterChef and MasterChef Junior (Fox), The Biggest Loser (NBC), The Face (Oxygen), Tabatha Takes Over (Bravo), Minute To Win It (GSN), Riot (Fox), Restaurant Startup (CNBC), Fake-Off (TruTv) and Going Wild (NatGeo Wild).

Franklin also oversaw the launch of Canada’s top rating MasterChef (CTV). Before moving to Los Angeles, Franklin worked as Shine Australia’s Head of Programming. As one of the company’s first appointments, Franklin was part of the core team that grew the start-up company into Australia’s largest production company. In this role Franklin oversaw the company’s unscripted properties including The Voice (Nine Network), MasterChef and Junior MasterChef (Network Ten), The Biggest Loser (Network Ten), The Renovators (Network Ten) and Relocation, Relocation (Lifestyle Network). Given Franklin’s critical role as the architect of MasterChef, he travelled extensively seeing the global rollout of the format in numerous territories including India, France and the US.

Between the years 2005-2009, Franklin served as Head of Factual Programming for FremantleMedia Australia. At Fremantle, he oversaw the company’s unscripted slate including the franchises such as The Apprentice (Nine Network), Farmer Wants A Wife (Nine Network), The Gift (Nine Network) and Project Runway (Arena).

Rikkie Proost
Chief Content Officer

Rikkie Proost is universally respected by the Australian production community as one of the world's finest and most experienced unscripted producers. Rikkie has developed and produced award-winning content across a wide range of genres from reality, entertainment and obdoc to interactive, digital and game shows. 

Prior to joining Eureka as the Chief Content Officer, Rikkie held various senior positions at the Seven Network from 2008 to 2019 including Head of Reality Television, Head of International Production and Development and Head of Unscripted Production. During this time, he was the co-creator on two of Australia’s most successful reality formats; My Kitchen Rules and House Rules. He not only oversaw development and production of these franchises in Australia but was heavily involved in adaptations for numerous international territories. In his time at Seven, Rikkie oversaw a raft of original unscripted formats and local adaptations including First Dates, Beauty and the Geek, Instant Hotel, Zumbo’s Just Desserts and Seven Year Switch.

Before Seven, Rikkie led teams on an array of hit formats from Wipeout and Gladiators to Big Brother and The Amazing Race. His early experience extends across TV, Film and TVC’s, including running his own production company where he created a number of original children’s programs and game shows.

WES DENING 
EVP, Programming and Development

Wes Dening is an award-winning producer and content creator with more than 15 years of production experience. Wes has developed, sold and produced original content for cable, broadcast, digital and OTT platforms and has extensive experience growing content businesses.

Prior to joining Eureka, Wes was the founder & president of WDE, an innovative production company that developed and produced an enviable slate of programs which are broadcasting in more than 55-countries worldwide. Wes was responsible for structuring all commercial agreements at WDE, with a focus on retaining and exploiting rights, while also overseeing creative & talent management and during his tenure Wes significantly increased revenue year-on-year. 

During his time at WDE, Wes was the creative force and Executive Producer of Big Crazy Family Adventure at Travel Channel, The Flying Winemaker for Discovery Channel International TLC, and is currently broadcasting across Australia and Asia on Netflix. Wes also signed and created The Stafford Brothers for Fox8 Network.

In addition to his extensive production work, Wes contributes to multiple media panels and regularly distributes content focussing on thought leadership in the ever-changing media landscape. 

SOPHIA MOGFORD 
Head of Entertainment

Sophia Mogford is an award winning creative and executive producer with producing credits both in Australia and internationally. 

Before joining Eureka in 2018 as the Head of Entertainment, Sophia Executive produced ratings winning shows across all of the major networks including Little Big Shots, Australian Ninja Warrior, It Takes Two, I’m A Celebrity get me Out of Here, Australia’s Got Talent, Hamish & Andy, Room 101 and How Not To Behave. Sophia also developed and creatively executed The Project. 

Sophia has won and been nominated multiple times for the ACCTA’s. Working across television genres in Australia & the UK, including - shiny floor, live programming, event television, International formats, documentaries, reality series and scripted and unscripted comedy. Prior to moving to Australia Sophia had a television career in the UK spanning multiple genres and entertainment formats from The Big Breakfast, Big Brother and CBBC to the award winning TFI Friday.

JIMMY FOGGO
Head of Development

Jimmy Foggo is an award-winning director and producer, working across genres and platforms, includingDocumentary, Factual, Reality and Digital, both in Australia and abroad. Jimmy has been the Head of Development for Eureka Australia since the company was founded in 2016. He has created, developed and produced original series for Australia and USA.   

During his five years living in London Jimmy directed and produced several series of MasterChef (BBC) and won a BAFTA for Producing Made in Chelsea (E4). He also headed up Shine TV’s Digital division and was a judge for the 2010 BAFTA New Media Awards. 

In Australia, Jimmy has directed two series of River Cottage Australia (Foxtel & SBS), Inside Heston’s World (SBS) and produced The Great Australian Bake Off (Foxtel). Jimmy also co-produced with Lizzie Foggo, the internationally successful Christmas Lights (ABC) documentary.

Janeen Faithfull
Chief Operating Officer

Janeen Faithfull is a leading executive with over 30 years of senior management experience in commercial television broadcasting and content creation. Her expertise spans broadcasting, development, production, distribution and exploitation, working in companies and with partners in Australia and internationally in scripted and non-scripted genres.

Prior to her arrival at Eureka as Chief Operating Officer, Janeen worked at the Nine Network establishing its internal production business delivering over 150 hours of local content to the programming schedule. In 2012, Janeen was appointed the CEO of Southern Star Entertainment where she successfully rebranded the organisation to Endemol Australia and during her 3-year tenure the company delivered successful programs across all genres to all of the Australian broadcasters. In her role as Head of Content & Rights Management at the Seven Network, Janeen was responsible for the exploitation of IP across all platforms, domestically and internationally as well as the commercial responsibilities of her former position as Head of Network Production, which she held from 1996. In this role under her leadership Seven’s in-house production business grew significantly and Seven claimed the number 1 broadcaster spot in Australia. Janeen worked in Los Angeles at Columbia Tristar Television as Vice-President of Business Affairs.

Jeanne Arzubiaga
Head of Production

Jeanne Petrone-Arzubiaga is a seasoned Production Executive with over 20 years experience working on various non-scripted television formats including gameshows, hidden cameras, variety / talk shows, competition reality, and home makeover shows. She was one of the proud Co-Executive Producers of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” on ABC, for which she was nominated for an Emmy in 2008.

Early in her career Jeanne worked on several Columbia Tristar Productions such as "The New Newlywed Game" and "Battle Dome”. She was a pioneer joining the Oxygen Network  prior to the network launch in 2000.  She ultimately became the Executive In Charge Of Production for the Los Angeles office, producing multiple series such as “Girls Behaving Badly [with Chelsea Handler]” and “Conversations From The Edge With Carrie Fisher".  Her varied experience in managing multiple productions brought her to the New York Office of ITV / Granada America as their Head of Production to oversee: “Airline” (A&E), “First 48” (A&E), “Room Raiders” (MTV), and several other series. Jeanne has held Head of Production posts at Katalyst Films to produce “Repeat After Me" (ABC), and other pilots for AMC, CMT, and VH1, as well as Whalerock Entertainment producing "BattleBots” (ABC), and “Believer with Reza Aslan” (CNN), plus production consulting on the early days of the Kardashian app. 

In 2018, Jeanne joined Eureka Production as the Executive In Charge of Production for "Holey Moley” and soon became the Head of Production for the LA Office. During her time at Eureka she has produced several seasons of "Holey Moley” for ABC and “Full Bloom” for HBOMax.

Jeanne is a proud member of the Producers Guild of America and the Television Academy.

GIA TRASATTI
Director of Finance and Operations

Prior to joining Eureka, Gia served Financial Controller for MAK Pictures overseeing all finances and operations. In this role she was responsible for setting up the accounting department and administering cost tracking protocols, banking set ups as well as subsidiary company creation, cash flow reporting, managed monthly cash flow projections, oversaw billing and A/P monitoring and asset tracking procedures. 

Gia has over twenty years’ experience in the entertainment and television industry working across a diverse slate of departments from finance and operations, line producing, accounting and production management.

LOU COLLINS
Financial Controller

Lou Collins is one of the Australian television industry’s top financial and production professionals with a career spanning the past 19 years. 

Prior to joining Eureka in 2016 as the Financial Controller, Lou was Financial Controller for Andrew Denton’s Zapruders’ Other Films Pty Ltd for 9 years. She has held various financial roles with the television industry, working for Crackerjack Productions Pty Ltd, Internal Laundry Productions Pty Ltd, The Roast Pty Ltd and Maguire Media Pt Ltd. In these roles Lou has been responsible for the development of each company’s financial strategy.

Lou completed a Bachelor of Economics degree at the University of Sydney. She trained in Spain with Arthur Andersen and started her career with them as a Tax Accountant in Sydney, followed by management accountant roles with Western Mining Corporation (WA) and Homestake Mining Company (Vancouver). Lou left the corporate world to pursue a career within the television industry.

Lou is responsible for all the financial management and operations for Eureka’s Australian office.