BBC Studios Kids & Family Adds New Senior Roles

BBC Studios Kids & Family has created two new senior roles to help accelerate growth: VP of development and head of commercial.

Edward Barnieh, who joins from Netflix, has been tapped as VP of development, while Alexandra McGrail, previously senior commercial manager at BBC Studios, has been promoted to head of commercial.

Barnieh will lead the development production team across a large portfolio of development projects, providing creative direction across multiple genres, managing transition from development to production and assessing marketplace opportunities and risks. He will take up the role on November 21.

McGrail will lead the commercial and business development team, identifying and securing commercial opportunities for kids’ content and managing the total commercial Kids & Family budget.

At Netflix, Barnieh’s roles included manager of animation series for EMEA and manager of international originals for kids and family in AsiaPac. Prior to that, he spent seven years at Warner Bros. Discovery in Hong Kong, where he was director of acquisitions and co-productions. He also spent five years at Nickelodeon.

McGrail took up the senior commercial manager role at BBC Studios in May 2021 on her return to BBC. In 2015, she was business manager for BBC Children’s and became one of the six assistant commissioners from BAME backgrounds who were recruited by then BBC One Controller Charlotte Moore’s diversity scheme. Prior to rejoining BBC, McGrail was senior commercial manager at Argonon, commercial manager at Leopard Pictures and an editor at Channel 4.

“Our ambition is to deliver high-quality content that leaves a lasting impression and has the power to make a difference to the lives of kids and their families everywhere,” said Cecilia Persson, managing director of BBC Studios Kids & Family. “Attracting the very best talent, forging creative partnerships and focusing on making programming that reflects and inspires children will help us achieve this. I’m delighted that Edward and Alexandra will be using their considerable talent and experience to help deliver our ambition.”

Barnieh said, “I’m really excited to join BBC Studios Kids & Family at a key period of growth for the business and can’t wait to help it deliver even more hits. Its shows are beloved around the world, and I’m thrilled at the opportunity to lead this brilliant team and work with exciting new talent to create tomorrow’s groundbreaking, entertaining and cherished content.”

“I’m passionate about young audiences, digital content and new talent and excited that this new role allows me to combine these passions and help create inspiring, sustainable brands that will resonate with kids globally,” McGrail said. “Building dynamic commercial plans and opportunities will drive Kids & Family’s growth, and I cannot wait to get started!”