Ryan Kavanaugh’s Relativity Media has hired former BBC Worldwide executive Matthew Vafiadis to boost its nascent television business.

Vafiadis becomes senior vice president of development at Relativity Television’s Ellen Rakieten Entertainment, the production company set up by The Marriage Ref producer in association with the film company, which coproduced and distributed films including Shark Night 3D, Immortals, Haywire and Act of Valor.

He was previously development and current executive at BBC Worldwide and its LA production arm Adjacent Productions, where he managed the sale of series, special, original formats and UK formats to US broadcasters.

During his tenure at BBC Worldwide, he exec produced What Not To Wear for TLC, Breaking Pointe for The CW and Big Brooklyn Style for TLC.

Separately, Relativity has also hired Jennifer Danska as senior vice president of development. She was previously svp of development and current at Kinetic Entertainment, the indie owned by Germany’s Red Arrow, where she exec produced Betty White’s Off Their Rockers as well as Perez Hilton All-Access, which aired on The CW in the US and ITV2 in the UK.

Kavanaugh and Relativity Television president Tom Forman will be at Mipcom, where Kavanaugh will be appearing at a Media Mastermind Keynote session on Tuesday, Oct 8.

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