Karin Marelle Joins BBC Studios & UKTV to Lead Global Acquisitions

Karin Marelle, formerly VP of acquisitions and co-productions at STARZ/Lionsgate, has joined BBC Studios and UKTV as global head of acquisitions.

Marelle will be responsible for setting and executing the acquisitions strategy for content and presales across BBC Studios’ branded services and the UKTV network. She will play a central role in maximizing the organization’s joint buying power to drive value and strengthen the content offering across BBC Studios’ global channels and BBC-branded SVOD services in the U.K., EMEA and AsiaPac.

Marelle, who has over 20 years of international experience leading acquisitions and co-productions, previously served as VP of acquisitions and co-productions at STARZ/Lionsgate, where she developed and executed acquisitions strategies across Europe and Latin America for hits such as Gangs of London and Normal People. During her tenure, she brought many popular U.K. dramas to North American audiences, most recently brokering prebuyers and co-productions for Mary & George and The Couple Next Door.

Earlier in her career, Marelle held senior acquisitions roles at AMC Networks, ITV and BBC Worldwide.

“The past few months have been difficult as we continue to navigate the loss of our incredible colleague Mel Rumani, and I’m immensely proud of how the BBC Studios and UKTV global acquisitions team has come together to continue to drive the business forward,” said Steve North, chief content officer of UKTV, to whom Marelle will report. “As we look to the future, I’m delighted that Karin Marelle is joining the business to lead the team. Her vast experience in the industry, coupled with her strategic approach and passion for television, makes her the ideal candidate for the role, and we can’t wait to have her on board.”

Marelle added, “I am honored to be joining UKTV and BBC Studios at such a transformative time for the business. I feel privileged to work with Steve and such a talented acquisitions team. UKTV is going from strength to strength in both performance and ambition, so it’s a great time to be leading our acquisitions strategy and contributing to the continued growth of U and the linear channels globally. I look forward to working with our talented teams and distribution partners to bring even more unmissable shows to our audiences in the U.K. and beyond.”