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MIPJUNIOR 2025 Reinvents Itself with Global Premiere of ‘Ki&Hi’
MUMBAI: The world of children’s entertainment is gearing up for a major reset this October as MIPJUNIOR returns with a sweeping new format and a showstopper world premiere to headline its reimagined edition. Timed just ahead of MIPCOM, the 2025 event promises a sharper, more creator-driven experience that blends deal-making with cultural momentum—turning the Palais des Festivals into a hub for the future of kids’ content.
At the center of this transformation is the global debut of Ki&Hi in the Panda Kingdom, a 52-episode anime comedy adapted from French YouTube creator Kevin Tran’s bestselling manga. Produced by Mediawan Kids & Family’s Method Animation (Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir), Drawsome Studios, and Belvision, the series follows two endlessly squabbling brothers in a whimsical fantasy setting tailored to 6–10-year-olds. Its Canal+ launch later this year will mark one of the first times a true anime-style series has been developed natively for a young European audience.
Tran, who boasts a following of 5.6 million online, has already generated strong buzz for the project, blending digital creator energy with broadcast-scale ambition. For MIPJUNIOR, the premiere is more
than a debut—it’s a statement of intent.
“This is a makeover with a mission,” said Lucy Smith, Director of MIPCOM CANNES and MIPJUNIOR. “Kids’ content is driving wider media trends. We’re giving creators, platforms, and partners a space to unlock new models and spark fresh collaborations.”
The 2025 edition will debut the Gare Maritime as a networking and pitch arena, allowing creators and producers to connect directly with buyers, gaming companies, publishers, and brand studios from 60+ countries. With more than 900 delegates expected, MIPJUNIOR is positioning itself not just as a preview event, but as a launchpad for globally relevant IP.
For Julien Borde, President of Mediawan Kids & Family, Ki&Hi underscores the shift: “We’re filling a gap with something truly original. It’s an anime with a caring, authentic voice that reflects real sibling dynamics—funny, emotional, and age-appropriate.”
Programming across the two-day event will center on storytelling that travels—across borders, formats, and platforms. Sessions will spotlight the creator economy, hybrid production models, and the
growing influence of digital-native stars. The shift comes as broadcasters, streamers, and IP owners look for new ways to cut through in an attention-fragmented market.
But the heart of the event remains storytelling—refreshed, diverse, and platform-fluid. By turning Ki&Hi into a symbol of its new direction, MIPJUNIOR signals it’s no longer just about what kids watch, but how and where they engage. For those converging on Cannes, the message is clear: kids’ content isn’t just evolving. It’s accelerating.
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Beacon Group appoints Dr Rajesh Patel as Group CEO
36-year healthcare veteran to lead Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek, Biogeny.
MUMBAI: A new chief, a fresh diagnosis and a sharper prescription for growth. Beacon Group has appointed Dr Rajesh Patel as its Group Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2026, signalling a decisive push to scale its presence in the diagnostics and IVD space. Patel steps into the role with 36 years of experience across the healthcare and diagnostics industry, bringing a career shaped by leadership roles spanning sales, marketing, business development and operational strategy. His mandate is both expansive and precise: to steer the group’s overall strategic direction while tightening coordination across its three core entities Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek and Biogeny Diagnostics.
In practical terms, that means driving cross-company synergies, accelerating market expansion and strengthening organisational capability areas increasingly critical as diagnostic players compete for scale in a fragmented yet rapidly evolving healthcare ecosystem. The group is positioning itself to capture unmet demand across chain laboratories, key accounts and standalone labs, segments that remain underserved despite growing diagnostic needs.
The appointment comes at a time when the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) sector in India is entering a more competitive and innovation-led phase, with companies focusing not just on product pipelines but also on service delivery, integration and customer-centric models. Beacon’s leadership appears to be betting that Patel’s execution-focused approach can help translate ambition into operational momentum.
Welcoming the appointment, Chairman Dr D K Joshi described Patel’s induction as a strategic move aligned with the group’s long-term vision, emphasising the role of leadership depth in navigating the next phase of growth.
For Beacon Group, the message is clear, in a sector where precision matters, leadership is the new differentiator—and this appointment is intended to set the tone for what comes next.
