Potsdam, February 16, 2026 – On February 28, 2026, Ulrike Leibfried will be leaving her position on the management board of UFA Fiction to return to her own production company Area 46, which she founded in 2010. After six years together, the two sides are continuing their partnership with a first-look deal. The aim is to continue the successful collaboration in the future and develop new projects together. She will also continue to provide production support for the projects she is responsible for, such as GAME OF KEYS.

Ulrike Leibfried: “It is with great pleasure and satisfaction that I look back on the past six years in which I was able to help shape UFA Fiction as Managing Director. During this intensive period, we have succeeded together in strategically realigning the company in terms of content and giving our material and the stories we tell a modern sound. The time is now right for me to hand over the management of the company and concentrate fully on my own creative work as a producer. I would like to thank my colleagues for the enriching and appreciative collaboration over the years. I am now looking forward with all my heart to continuing to accompany my existing productions and to new, exciting projects that will continue to be created in close cooperation between UFA and my company Area 46.”

Sascha Schwingel, CEO UFA GmbH: “Ulrike Leibfried has significantly shaped and developed UFA Fiction in recent years. With her creative power, her clear attitude and her keen sense for relevant material, she has made a decisive contribution to the fact that UFA Fiction today stands for modern, courageous and successful narrative worlds. I would like to thank her very much for her outstanding work and the trusting collaboration. I am all the more pleased that we will remain closely connected with the First Look deal in the future and develop new projects together. I wish Ulrike all the best for the future, both professionally and personally.”

About UFA

UFA is one of the leading production companies for series and films, shows and documentaries in the German-speaking world. New and long-running programs from UFA reach an average of over 30 million people every week and are currently available on almost all TV channels and streaming services. The creative house bundles the range of its genres in the units UFA Fiction, UFA Serial Drama, UFA Show & Factual, UFA Documentary and UFA Mitte under one roof. UFA is part of the international production company Fremantle, the global production arm of RTL Group. UFA, rich in tradition, was founded in 1917 and is now present at five locations in Germany. Its headquarters are in Potsdam-Babelsberg. The managing directors of UFA are Sascha Schwingel (CEO) and Christian Rohde.

Press contact UFA:

Janine Friedrich
Head of Communications

janine.friedrich@ufa.dePhone: +49 331 70 60 379

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The press release as PDF for download: