Ute Biernat Steps Down as CEO of UFA Show & Factual; Vanessa Schmit and Sascha Rustmeier appointed as successors.
After 25 successful years at the helm of one of Germany’s most prominent TV production companies, Ute Biernat, CEO of UFA Show & Factual, is stepping down from her management role in September, 2025. The seasoned entertainment expert will also be relinquishing her management role at the Hungarian production company UFA Produkció. Ute Biernat has been CEO of the Cologne-based production company since June, 2000, and CEO of the Hungarian production company since October, 2024. As a highly experienced TV producer, she will maintain close ties with UFA in a consulting capacity.
Reflecting on her tenure, Ute Biernat stated, "The key factor that unites all the successful projects that I have overseen in my 25 years as CEO is having a great team behind the scenes – at UFA Show & Factual, we don't just create entertainment, we put our heart and soul into everything we do. My colleagues here are simply incomparable – their passion, their unwavering commitment and their team spirit are the lifeblood of the company. Thank you to each and every one of you! I would also like to thank my colleagues at Fremantle and UFA for our long-standing, dependable and productive collaboration. After 25 years as CEO, now is simply the right time for me to go."
Sascha Schwingel, CEO of UFA, expressed his gratitude, "I would like to sincerely thank Ute for her impressive entrepreneurial and creative successes. With her tireless energy and passion for entertainment, she was and remains a role model. In her 25 years as CEO, Ute has played a key role in shaping the success of UFA and has led strong UFA units and built-up valuable programme brands with UFA Show & Factual in Germany and UFA Produkció in Hungary. I wish Ute future highlights on the private stage and am delighted that she will remain associated with UFA."
Vanessa Schmit and Sascha Rustmeier will succeed Biernat on the management team of UFA Show & Factual, effective 1 July, 2025. Their appointment signifies UFA's commitment to transformation and maintaining a highly experienced team.
Sascha Schwingel commented, “With Vanessa Schmit and Sascha Rustmeier, we have found the ideal successors for our strong entertainment unit: Vanessa is an outstanding producer who not only has many years’ experience in leading creative teams, but also extraordinary expertise in the reality sector – a genre that UFA wants to expand further. Vanessa also brings with her an excellent network of talents – both in front of and behind the camera. Sascha Rustmeier has wide-ranging expertise in the commercial and production areas and, above all, experience in new business and branded entertainment. He and Vanessa thus form the perfect leadership team for UFA Show & Factual. I wish them both every success in their new role and I look forward to working with them.”
Vanessa Schmit expressed her enthusiasm, “I have great respect for the achievements of Ute Biernat, who has built the company up to its current size over the past 25 years and who has created a UFA label that can boast an excellent reputation in the industry. Thanks to its international connection to Fremantle, UFA Show & Factual also has formats that enjoy global success.”
Sascha Rustmeier added, “Vanessa Schmit and I are joining the team to expand the existing success of UFA Show & Factual even further and drive forward the transformation of UFA…Our colleagues at UFA Show & Factual have created important brands and are known for their very special team spirit. I am particularly looking forward to building on this and to shaping the future of the company with the strong UFA Show & Factual team.”
Vanessa Schmit is an experienced TV producer, who most recently spent three and a half years as Executive Director and Head of Reality at RTL Studios. Under her leadership, successful formats such as Ex on the Beach, Are you the One and Stranger Sins were produced. Previously, she worked as an executive producer at Warner Bros. Germany, responsible for Der Bachelor and Die Bachelorette. From 2009 to 2019, Vanessa worked for RTL's Ich bin ein Star, holt mich hier raus! (I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!) as show and edit producer at ITV. She also has experience in the factual sector, having worked on Goodbye Deutschland, Super Nanny and Big Brother. Vanessa started her career at Endemol.
Sascha Rustmeier is an experienced media manager, who most recently spent two years as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at RTL Studios, responsible for the financial direction and management of the entire production division. Prior to that, he was Head of Production at RTL Studios. Before joining RTL Studios, Sascha was Business Unit Production Manager at Endemol Shine, managing the “Light Entertainment” division. At Endemol Shine Beyond, he developed the Branded Entertainment and New Business division from 2012 to 2019. In 2015, he was awarded the prestigious “Cannes Golden Lion” for the Media Markt project “Rabbit Race”.
