NEW YORK - Five months into the job, Garth Ancier, President BBC Worldwide America, has restructured his senior team to take BBC Worldwide’s American-based businesses to the next level.

 

“By creating new roles, bringing in some fresh faces and promoting talent within the organization I am positioning the company for growth,” said Ancier. “The BBC produces more quality television content than any other company and is one of the premier media brands in the world. We now have a strong team working together to expand that brand across the U.S., focusing on growth areas including channels, content and production and digital.”

 

In the newly-created role, Executive Vice President, Business Development & Digital Media, Luke Bradley-Jones transfers to the company’s New York headquarters, starting September 1. Most recently Head of Strategy at BBC Worldwide in London, Bradley-Jones will work closely with Ancier and Michael Ross, recently appointed Executive Vice President, Business Affairs & Operations, to develop new revenue streams and identify acquisitions and Joint Ventures to help the business grow aggressively in this market. He will also oversee U.S. digital media initiatives, including setting and implementing the company’s digital on-demand strategy, and ensure that BBC Worldwide America is strategically aligned with global digital media activities, including bbc.com and global distribution deals.

 

Chris Carr is appointed Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Channels. A member of the original BBC AMERICA launch team, Carr was formerly Chief Financial Officer. In his new role he assumes responsibility for all channel operations. Andrew Bott’s role as Chief Financial Officer is expanded across the whole company to include BBC AMERICA.

 

Paul Telegdy continues to head the company’s growing West Coast production house, responsible for the hugely successful Dancing with the Stars. His promotion to Executive Vice President, Content & Production, reflects the company’s scale of ambition and addition of a second production base, in New York, focused on the cable industry.

 

Candace Carlisle, who continues to head up TV sales and co-production in the Americas for BBC Worldwide and its joint venture with Discovery Communications Inc, has been named Executive Vice President, Co-productions and TV Sales. And, on the home entertainment front, Burton Cromer has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Consumer Products. In his role, he will continue to manage the BBC's growing DVD business, and support the company’s ambitious on-line and magazine plans with the direct-to-consumer arm BBC America Shop.

 

Communications has been consolidated under the leadership of Jo Petherbridge, formerly BBC AMERICA’s publicity chief, who has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Communications. Her restructured department will provide publicity, public relations and other communications services across all BBC businesses in North and South America. .

 

 

 

ENDS

 

For more information, please contact:

Jennie Allen
Director of Corporate Affairs
Tel: 020 8433 2973
Email: jennie.allen.01@bbc.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

 

BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise the value of the BBC’s assets for the benefit of the licence payer and invest in public service programming in return for rights. The company has six core businesses: Global Channels, Global TV Sales, Magazines, Content & Production, Home Entertainment and Digital Media. In 2006/07 BBC Worldwide generated profits of £111 million on sales of £810 million.

 

BBC Worldwide America has headquarters in New York and Los Angeles, and brings together all of BBC Worldwide’s businesses in the U.S. All businesses are represented in the U.S. with the exception of Magazines.

 

www.bbcworldwide.com

 

 

 

 

BBC WORLDWIDE