Biographies

Managing Director, BBC Worldwide Sales & Distribution

Steve Macallister joined BBC Worldwide in July 2007 as Managing Director, Sales & Distribution. He sits on the board of the BBC's commercial arm, reporting directly to CEO, John Smith.

As Managing Director, Sales & Distribution, Steve is responsible for the exploitation of intellectual property around the world of more than 40,000 hours of BBC and independently-produced content from BBC Worldwide's catalogue.

He also manages BBC Worldwide's unique annual sales event, BBC Showcase. Since becoming Managing Director of BBC Worldwide Sales & Distribution, Steve has made a number of significant changes.

One of the most significant changes has been the formation of a bespoke research team. The team provides S&D with new levels of insight into the performance of its catalogue and is part of the division's strategy to become more customer and consumer focussed.

Steve also restructured the sales teams by appointing new territory heads to EMEA and Asia as well as a new management structure in the United States.

These are part of a new five-year strategy designed to put the business in an even stronger position to sustain growth in a fast-evolving market. For 2007/08 S&D saw record profits of £46.7million.

Steve joined BBC Worldwide from Disney ABC International Television – Asia Pacific, formerly known as Buena Vista International Television – Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP), the international television distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company, where he managed the company's distribution business in the region.

Steve joined Disney in 1993, playing a key role in establishing the company as the first Hollywood studio to distribute programming on a barter basis in the emerging markets of Central and Eastern Europe.

From 1996 he held various sales positions in Hong Kong and London covering Asia Pacific, Northern Europe and Middle East markets.

In 2001 he returned to Hong Kong to assume the position of Vice President and Regional Head of Sales where he was responsible for moving the Hong-Kong-centric business to a fully integrated multi-function and client-focussed distribution enterprise.

In 2004 he was appointed Senior Vice President and Managing Director of BVITV – AP.

Prior to joining Disney, Steve worked for nine years in the UK's media buying and planning sector. He held positions at Young & Rubicam, Lintas and pioneer media specialists CIA.