BAFTA Appoints Sara Putt as Chair

BAFTA has confirmed Sara Putt, founder and managing director of the U.K.’s leading independent below-the-line talent agency, as its newly elected chair.

Putt has been actively involved with BAFTA for over a decade, having served on the board of trustees since 2011 and as deputy chair since 2021. She has volunteered in various BAFTA committee roles, most recently as chair of the television committee and previously as chair of the learning, inclusion and talent committee. Putt is on the advisory board of the British Film Commission, the Film & TV Charity board and previously on the board of Women in Film and TV.

Putt runs an agency for behind-the-camera technical and production talent, from producers and directors through to heads of department and crew. In 2021, Sara Putt Associates united with sister agencies Sayle Screen and The Artists Partnership to create The Partnership Group. Based at Shepperton Studios, Sara Putt Associates also runs a unique in-house Trainee and Foundation Scheme, supporting the next generation of freelance talent, including those from underrepresented groups.

She will serve for a three-year term.

Putt said: “I am deeply honored to succeed Krishnendu Majumdar as chair of BAFTA. During his tenure, BAFTA has seen growth and transition. Krish led the groundbreaking 2020 Review with integrity, drive, and openness, and as a result, BAFTA has evolved as an academy and arts charity.

“Following the lead of the Chairs before me, I intend to continue listening to our membership, our stakeholders and our many beneficiaries. I care deeply about supporting talent, and with my expertise as an agent, I will steer the work BAFTA does to positively impact the careers of those we support. I believe in celebrating excellence on- and off-screen and the positive influence BAFTA has in the screen industries, and I am excited to continue learning more about the challenges and opportunities in games to best serve this part of the BAFTA community.

“I am grateful and thrilled to be working with Jane Millichip, our new CEO, and the entire BAFTA team, whom I have come to know and admire over the past few years. BAFTA belongs to all of us, and it is a privilege for me to serve both our members and the wider industries.”