Toronto-based Our House Media (OHM) is growing its development team by promoting Costa Nicolas to VP of development, and hiring Stephen Pettinger as commercial director and east coast development executive.

The announcement was made by Simon Lloyd, CEO of Our House Media, to whom Nicolas (pictured left) will report. Pettinger (pictured right) will report to Lloyd on new digital and branded business, and to both Nicolas and Lloyd on development.

Nicolas has collaborated with OHM since 2018, having previously headed up the West Coast casting department. He got his start in casting for both scripted and unscripted projects, and has since worked as a talent manager/agent, director and producer prior to joining OHM.

Nicolas has done casting for Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, and has worked with Netflix, Bravo, HBO, Food Network and Discovery, among others. He also serves as a chair representative for Non-Fiction Casting United, an advocacy group for professionals in non-fiction casting. His OHM credits include Stylish with Jenna Lyons, Unexpected Killer, Mutant Weather and more.

Pettinger has worked with OHM chief Lloyd since 2008, including on American Pickers (History). Trained as a barrister in England before working for the BBC on legal shows like Crimewatch UK and Watchdog with Anne Robinson, he went on to become an independent producer and director, working for networks such as ABC, Bravo, History, A&E and Lifetime. He co-executive produced ABC’s Wife Swap, National Geographic’s Dr. K’s Exotic Animal ER and Sundance Channel’s Jamie’s Dream School. He is now developing long- and short-form unscripted projects for the U.S. and U.K. markets, and expanding OHM’s commercial division. His other credits with Lloyd include Endless Yard Sale and Inside Your Walls.

“In an industry where the more successful the project is, the more parents it seems to have, both Costa and Stephen are development execs with genuine proven track records for developing and fashioning successful series from the ground up,” Lloyd said in a statement. “What I love about them is that they both constantly generate noisy ideas and killer casting that results in strong returning brands.”

The story originally appeared in Realscreen