New U.S. Roles at BBC Worldwide

LONDON/NEW YORK: BBC Worldwide has created two senior executive roles in the U.S. in an effort to grow its sales and co-production and children’s activities in the territory.

Matt Forde will relocate from London to join BBC Worldwide’s New York-based sales and distribution team as executive VP of sales and co-productions. Reporting to Steve Macallister, the managing director of BBC Worldwide sales and distribution, and Garth Ancier, the president of BBC Worldwide in America, Forde will spearhead sales and co-production activity across all genres in the U.S. and Latin America. Forde is currently director of content acquisitions.

Macallister commented: “Matt’s unique combination of sales experience, sharp business skills and encyclopaedic knowledge of the BBC make him the ideal candidate for this key role and helps us to further support building the BBC in the U.S.”

Susanna Pollack becomes the senior VP of children’s and children’s business development, responsible for growing BBC Worldwide’s kids’ brands in North and South America. She will also spearhead the effort to launch an English-language CBeebies channel in the U.S.

Neil Ross Russell, the managing director of BBC Worldwide Children’s, said: “We have ambitious and exciting plans for our children’s business in the U.S., and we’re lucky to benefit from the experience and passion Susanna brings to the table.”