Grant Welland Named COO of UKTV

BBC Studios has appointed Grant Welland as chief operating officer for the U.K. region distribution and UKTV.

In the newly created role, Welland will focus on the strategic and commercial direction of UKTV and align it with BBC Studios as it continues to grow. He will also lead pan-BBC Studios projects for branded services, working with colleagues across the international regions. In addition, he will chair a new BBC Studios Branded Services Group that will focus on identifying cross-region opportunities for improvements in this area.

Welland spent the last six years as executive VP for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa in global distribution at BBC Studios.

In his new post, Welland reports to Marcus Arthur, UKTV’s CEO and president of BBC Studios UK & Ireland. Arthur said: “Grant’s experience in business development and his broader knowledge of BBC Studios and the markets we operate in, made him the perfect candidate for this role. He is ideally placed to help align the U.K. region and UKTV businesses and foster collaboration across the wider BBC Studios Group.”

Welland added: “I am hugely excited to be joining the U.K. region and UKTV team at such an important and dynamic time, with a mission to help it make the most of the incredible opportunities that lie ahead. I am also looking forward to working in partnership with our regional teams beyond the U.K. to shape the operating model of our global branded services for continuing success.”