After nearly five years, Disney’s senior vice president of original content for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region Liam Keelan is exiting his role with the company in early 2025.
“It’s been an absolute blast running the Disney+ Originals team,” Keelan said in statement. “I’ll forever be grateful to Diego Londono and Jan Koeppen for backing me every step of the way as we launched our first raft of commissions and set about changing expectations of what a Disney+ show might be.”
Keelan, who built the EMEA programming team from scratch, has overseen 70 projects produced by the group during his tenure. His team includes UK-based scripted chief Lee Mason, unscripted head Sean Doyle and production management head Amanda Wilkie-Sweeney. Additionally, he oversees local commissioners across the EMEA region.
“I’m so proud of the range, quality and awards our shows have brought to Disney+. Any success is testament to the brilliant teams we have here in the UK and across the European markets – their passion and creativity has been truly inspiring,” he added. “It’s never an easy decision to leave when there’s so much more to come but channelling Declan O’Hara it’s time for a change and I’ve no doubt Disney+ and the Originals slate will be hugely successful in the months and years to come.”
A recruitment process to replace Keelan’s role is underway.
Keelan’s division has been responsible for titles including “Extraordinary,” “The Ignorant Angels,” “The Good Mothers,” “Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story,” “Lions of Sicily” and “Our Only Chance.” Upcoming titles include “Rivals,” “The Disappearance of Kimi Diore” and “A Thousand Blows and Vienna Game.”
“Since 2020, Liam has brought an incredible creativity and commitment in delivering a wide-ranging local originals slate across EMEA. I am so proud of the shows Liam has steered, but also of the team he’s built since joining in 2020,” Disney EMEA’s executive vice president of media networks and content Diego Londono said in a statement. “I wish him all the best in his next endeavor.”
Prior to Disney, Keelan worked at the BBC. He started out in the company as head of scheduling and planning for BBC One and Two. He would become a controller for ITV Daytime in 2006 and BBC Daytime in 2008, before rising to the role of portfolio director in 2013, where he would work for the next nearly seven years.
His departure comes on the heels of various other changes at Disney, including 75 staffers being let go across ABC News and eight ABC Owned Stations, Hulu and ABC Entertainment’s scripted drama and comedy teams being combined under Simran Sethi and ABC Signature being folded into 20th Television under Karey Burke.
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