BBC Studios Creates Global Distribution Role

BBC Studios has brought its international sales and distribution business, encompassing content sales, branded services and ancillaries, together into a single global distribution group with Paul Dempsey taking the role of President, Global Distribution

Published: 2 August 2019
Having visibility across all our customer relationships and international distribution activity will make us more joined up and effective both globally and regionally.
— Paul Dempsey, President, Global Distribution, BBC Studios

He will relocate to New York and have responsibility for BBC Studios’ overall sales and distribution strategy, key customer management and the company’s international channels and services.

BBC Studios’ successor to Ann Sarnoff as President of Americas, currently being recruited, join the Managing Director of Australia & New Zealand, and the EVPs of Asia, Western Europe and CEMA (Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa) in reporting to Dempsey. As now, the regional leads will have accountability for their respective regions, with Dempsey assuming overall accountability for the strategy for the expanded operation.

Tim Davie, CEO, BBC Studios commented, "Bringing together our international regions, while maintaining a strong regional focus, continues the evolution of our global distribution business and particularly the way we serve major customers. We are fortunate to have someone of Paul’s immense experience to take this important role."

Paul Dempsey, President, Global Distribution, BBC Studios, added, "Having visibility across all our customer relationships and international distribution activity will make us more joined up and effective both globally and regionally."

Dempsey joined BBC Worldwide in 1998 and has held a number of senior positions including interim CEO, Managing Director, Consumer Products and Director Audio & Music.

These changes will take effect on 1 September.

 

For more information, please contact:

Gavin Dawson: gavin.dawson@bbc.com

07730 284611

NOTES TO EDITORS

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios, a global content company with British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group.  Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen, it spans content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries from both its own productions and programmes and formats made by high-quality UK independents. Award-winning British programmes made by the business are internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, including factual, drama, entertainment and comedy. BBC Studios has offices in 22 markets globally, including six production bases in the UK and production bases and partnerships in a further nine countries around the world.

The company, which makes around 2,500 hours of content a year, is a champion for British creativity around the world and a committed partner for the UK’s independent sector. Created in April 2018 by the merger of two existing commercial subsidiaries, BBC Worldwide and BBC Studios, the company has revenue of around £1.4bn.  In the year to March 2019, it returned £243m to the BBC Group, complementing the BBC’s licence fee and enhancing programmes for UK audiences.

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