With over 35 years’ of experience, knowledge and connections in the television industry, Michel offers a comprehensive consultancy on all aspects of the business, from building TV networks to executive-mentoring, global market analysis to bespoke format purchase and distribution, keynote lectures to international workshops and seminars.

With partner Justin Scroggie, Michel founded The Format People in 2009, driven by the desire to ‘transfer expertise’ – not only his own but also that of a group of over 20+ carefully chosen top industry professionals, now consultants for TFP (see below).

Over the past 6 years, as well as helming TFP, Michel’s broad-ranging work has included substantial mandates with major broadcasters and production companies including Warner Bros, Fremantle China and Star China, executive-mentoring of leading figures in the TV business, and major infrastructure projects such as building of Mongol TV from the ground-up into one the country’s leading broadcasters.

Michel was the founder of Distraction Formats, the first independent format distribution company. Distraction represented formats from producers worldwide, and sold formats to 60+ countries. Instigator of the first TV Format Market at the Monte Carlo TV Festival in 1999, Michel was dubbed by the press ‘The Father of Formats’ for his in-depth knowledge of the format business.

His earlier career included Vice-President of Programming and Production at Télé-Capitale Inc. (now TVA) in Quebec Canada and later founded his own independent production house and, as producer and President of ‘Les Productions de la Capitale Inc.’, produced TV formats in France and Quebec. Michel was honored as a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Minister of Cultural Affairs, Mr. Jacques Toubon, from the government of France.

Michel was educated at St. George Williams University and began his TV as a writer, cameraman and director. He is a founding member of FRAPA (Format Recognition and Protection Association) and the EMC (Entertainment Master Class), a member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (IEmmys).

Speaking on: Upping the game: Revitalizing competition formats