Biography

CEO, Keshet Media Group

Named the #1 Most Influential Person in Israeli Culture by Israel's top national Newspaper Haaretz in 2013, Avi Nir is the Chief Executive Officer of the Keshet Media Group and has led the company's charge to secure and maintain its position as the leading broadcaster in Israel averaging a weekly primetime share of more than 40 percent. As well as delivering high quality content for his home audience, Nir and his team are now bringing his passion for excellence in television to the world by selling, co-developing and co-producing sophisticated shows for the international market. Under Nir, privately owned Keshet has become a top content supplier overseas enjoying global success with its high quality shows and with Nir actively engaged in many international adaptations. Notably, Nir serves as an Executive Producer on Showtime's Emmy® and Golden Globe® winning drama Homeland, for which he was personally awarded an Emmy® when the show was named Outstanding Drama Series in 2012. Prisoners of War, Keshet's original Israeli show upon which Homeland is based, has sold to more than 20 territories internationally.

Through Keshet International, the company's global production and distribution arm, Nir has introduced Keshet's quality content throughout the world. Working with KI's CEO Alon Shtruzman, Nir has found widespread international success for the company's formats. Highlights include: the trailblazing interactive talent show format Rising Star which has sold to more than 25 territories since its introduction at MIPCOM 2013 and most recently BOOM! the much talked about game show format which launched at MIPTV 2014 and sold quickly to several international broadcasters, including Fox in the US. In November 2013, Keshet sold Nir and Homeland creator Gideon Raff's original drama show concept Dig to Universal Cable Productions which will premiere six episodes on USA Network in late 2014. A further two Keshet International scripted properties, the spy thriller M.I.C.E (aka Allegiance) and family sitcom Your Family or Mine were also ordered to series in May 2014 by leading US networks NBC and TBS for 2015.

Nir serves as a Director on the Board of The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, working with the rest of the Executive Committee to steer the design and execution of the Academy's programs. Nir and Keshet also host INTV, an annual high-profile international conference focused on innovation in television, held in Jerusalem.

Nir has also initiated many of the company's successful new media operations, establishing Keshet as a pioneer of cutting edge digital, dual screen and cross-platform tools and products. He launched Keshet's online portal, Mako, which ranked in the top 3 websites in Israel within just one year. He further diversified Keshet's portfolio with the acquisition of popular music platform Channel 24 in 2009. Nir has led Keshet in establishing successful joint ventures and the in-house production company Bip, as well as a number of e-commerce and lifestyle websites.

After joining the company in 1993, Nir quickly rose up through its the ranks, serving as VP of Marketing and Sales from 1995 to 1999, then heading Keshet's core business as VP of Programming. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2002 and was later named "Executive of the Year" and "Television Personality of the Decade" respectively by Israel's top financial magazines, The Marker and Globes.

In 1994, Nir co-authored the influential media-business book Advertising in Television: The Media, the Message, the Money. Born in Jerusalem, Nir received his MA and MBA from the Tel Aviv University Graduate School of Business, where he was awarded the Sigal Prize for excellence in marketing research. He also taught in the University's Faculty of Management, as well as its Department of Film and Television.
- IMDb mini biography by: Keshet Media Group