BBCWW Names Chief for Latin American Channels

LONDON: Guillermo Sierra has been appointed as BBC Worldwide’s new senior VP and general manager of channels and branded services for Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic market.

In his new position, Sierra will be charged with the strategic development and expansion of the company’s commercial channel services, including BBC HD, CBeebies and BBC Entertainment. He will also be expected to look after CBeebies in the U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets.

Sierra will be based in the Miami office and report to Jana Bennett, the president of worldwide networks and global BBC iPlayer at BBC Worldwide. He will also collaborate with Fred Medina, BBC Worldwide’s executive VP for Latin America.

Sierra previously served as senior VP and chief content officer at Hispanic broadcaster Vme Media. Among other accomplishments, he played a vital role in the creation and implementation of VME Kids for the U.S. Hispanic market.

Bennett commented: “Guillermo brings a great deal of vision and an unrivaled knowledge of the Latin American and U.S. Hispanic media landscape to this role. He will be a valuable addition to the business as we look to build on the success of our existing portfolio in this fast growing market, and look for new opportunities to introduce new brands to viewers through a range of platforms.”

“Building tune in, brand awareness and market share in the complexity of today’s Latin American and U.S. Hispanic pay-TV landscape is an extraordinary challenge,” said Medina. “I am confident that under Guillermo’s leadership we will thrive and continue to deliver our ambitious targets. We look forward to having his creative skills and ample experience steer the portfolio of outstanding channel brands through its next vital growth stage.”

Sierra added: “It is very exciting to join the team that has developed the BBC Worldwide channels business into one of the most respected brands portfolio in the region. The outstanding quality and originality of its content provides a solid platform for us to drive new business opportunities, increase distribution and achieve its full potential.”