BBC Worldwide Opens French Production Office

LONDON, July 16: BBC
Worldwide is set to open a wholly-owned production office in Paris, France,
which will be led by Jean-Louis Blot as the director.

Blot will be working with
all of the major local terrestrial networks to grow the company’s French production
business, and will report to Colin Jarvis, the director of international
formats for BBC Worldwide’s content and production division. Blot will be
supported by Cécile Lamarque, who joins as the development executive, responsible for
oversight of production. Blot comes to the role from Air Productions, with
credits including Don’t Forget the Lyrics and Tout le monde veut prendre sa place, while Lamarque joins the
company from FremantleMedia, having worked on Supernanny, How Clean is Your
House? and
The Farmer Wants a Wife, among others.

BBC Worldwide Productions
France will work in conjunction with the company’s sales and distribution team
in the country—managed by Tim Muff—which continues to oversee all
of BBC Worldwide’s program distribution, publishing and licensing activity in
France. The Paris production office is the latest in a growing number of
international bases for the company that includes Los Angeles, New York,
Mumbai, Toronto and Sydney.

Jarvis said: “France is a
key market for us. Establishing a thriving production base in this major
European territory fits into our strategy to position BBC Worldwide as a
leading global content network. Through the success of our sales and
distribution office, BBC Worldwide enjoys a strong relationship with all of the
major broadcasters in France and we look forward to extending this to local
production.”

“I’m pleased to welcome
Jean-Louis on board, he has the background and experience to develop our
production office into a prominent player in the French market,” he added.

—By Kristin
Brzoznowski