BBC Studios Taps Cecilia Persson for Children’s

BBC Studios has appointed WarnerMedia veteran Cecilia Persson as managing director of the newly established children’s unit.

Taking up the role on January 1, Persson will lead the new genre as it transitions from the public service broadcaster to BBC Studios Productions. She will drive an ambitious global strategy, working in partnership with all areas of the business to ensure the most creative, efficient and effective approach to bring children’s content to audiences around the world.

Persson spent more than 15 years at WarnerMedia, where she was most recently VP of programming and content strategy EMEA, acquisition and co-production international.

The integration of BBC Children’s in-house production was announced in March 2021 as part of BBC Director-General Tim Davie’s plans to drive commercial revenues. Scheduled for April 2022, the transition will see the new business bring together Studios children’s hits (Bluey, Hey Duggee) and in-house hits (Blue Peter, JoJo & Gran Gran, My Mum Tracy Beaker) into one portfolio.

As part of the transition, Henrietta Hurford-Jones, director of children’s content, and her team will move from content partnerships to Studios Productions.

Ralph Lee, CEO of BBC Studios Productions, to whom Persson will report, said: “I feel privileged to be taking on this new role at such an important time. BBC Children’s content is globally renowned and cherished by parents and kids alike. BBC Studios has bold ambitions to grow the value provided to younger audiences and I am looking forward to joining the brilliant teams on this journey.”