Rome-based distribution and production exec Thomas J. Ciampa — who last year exited WarnerMedia where he was Italy, Spain and Portugal country manager — is joining Rainbow Group, the prominent Italian indie best known for creating the hit “Winx Club” TV franchise.
In his new position as Rainbow Group’s COO, Ciampa will play a key role in the strategic development and investment strategies of the company’s portfolio, which is expanding from producing animated content for children to encompassing all audiences and market segments.
The “Winx Club” animated TV series — which has bewitched tween girls around the world — was spun into the live-action series “Fate: The Winx Saga” by Rainbow and Netflix, which commissioned and co-produced the show’s first two seasons but passed on making a third installment last year.
Alongside its kids content, Rainbow has been churning out hit genre titles in recent years through its Rome-based Colorado Films, where Ciampa will be based. These include revenge thriller “My Name Is Vendetta,” directed by Cosimo Gomez and starring Alessandro Gassman, which Rainbow founder and CEO Iginio Straffi says is now among Netflix’s all-time top 10 non-English-language movies.
The plan is now to take Rainbow Group’s projects for the international market to the next level.
“Thomas is a great professional whom I have known and respected for many years, and I am thrilled to welcome him to the Rainbow family,” Straffi said in a statement. “He will be responsible for the development of all areas of the group with a focus on international projects and co-productions.”
“I am thrilled to start this new adventure in Rainbow and to work with Iginio Straffi,” Ciampa added. “Iginio, with his vision and determination, has managed to create content able to reach and move Italian and international audiences. I can’t wait to contribute to Rainbow’s global success.”
