Beyond Rights Makes Appointments, Promotions within Sales Team

Beyond Rights has made a number of changes to its sales team, including appointing Kate Stevenson as VP of sales, covering France, CEE, the Middle East and Africa.

Stevenson joins Beyond Rights in June, after completing a fixed-term contract at Aardman. She began her TV career at Sky and went on to spend more than ten years working for Twentieth Century Fox, latterly as sales director responsible for the U.K., Ireland, the Nordics, Netherlands, the Baltics and Russia.

Joanna Rowley has been promoted to senior VP sales for the U.K., Nordics and Italy, alongside Lenneke de Jong, who has been upped to senior VP of sales for Germany, Benelux, Iberia and Latin America.

Sylvia Okyere joins the team as its new sales support executive, coming from Banijay Rights, where she was sales coordinator.

Each executive reports to Beyond Rights’ head of sales, Sarah Bickley.

Bickley said: “I have been very fortunate in my new role to have had a swift opportunity to re-shape and reset the sales team to meet the current needs and future ambitions of the business. Recruiting at all levels is a challenge now, so we are particularly thrilled to welcome Kate and Sylvia. Kate previously worked with our CEO, David Smyth, so we know she is a skilled negotiator with a strong track record and enviable network, and we cannot wait for her to start. Sylvia, meanwhile, brings a wealth of experience to the pivotal role of sales support executive and has successfully hit the ground running.

“I am also pleased to recognize the talents of Joanna Rowley and Lenneke de Jong with their promotions to senior VP. Lenneke has consistently delivered at a high level since I first joined the business at the end of last year, while it has become apparent to me very quickly that Joanna’s modesty and understated approach belies a truly exceptional and very knowledgeable salesperson. Both promotions are thoroughly deserved and speak to the breadth and depth of experience we now have across our revitalized sales team.”

Stevenson added: “I am really looking forward to joining Beyond Rights next month. The company has a fantastic catalog, impressive producer partners—both in-house and third-party—and I get to work with David again. I’m also excited to be joining an ambitious sales team with a clear passion for maximizing opportunities for content across the ever-changing television landscape.”