BBC Studios Doubles Down on U.S. Content Sales Team
Chris Cole Promoted to Executive Vice President
Former Endeavor Content Executive Kelly Miller Joins as Senior Vice President Based in Los Angeles
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New York, NY – Today, BBC Studios – Americas announces the promotion of Chris Cole to Executive Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, and the appointment of Kelly Miller to Senior Vice President, Scripted Strategy. Cole, based in New York, will oversee and provide strategic planning for longstanding, key partnerships with AMC Networks/BBC AMERICA, Discovery, PBS, BritBox, and Blue Ant Media. Miller will be responsible for managing co-production activity in the U.S. across drama, comedy, and children’s with television and digital clients. The appointment of Miller signals the continuation of the company’s expansion of its sales division in Los Angeles, which is focused on strengthening existing and establishing new relationships in order to bring the best of British content to U.S. audiences. Cole and Miller report directly to Dina Vangelisti, Executive Vice President, Content Sales, BBC Studios – Americas.
“This is well-deserved recognition for Chris, who has been an important leader of the Americas sales team for the last nine years. His inner knowledge of the BBC, as well as the UK and U.S. television industries, has proven to be invaluable to the growth of the sales business over his tenure,” remarked Vangelisti. “Kelly, with her diverse media background and significant network, will offer a fresh view and enable us to offer our clients – and thus audiences – the valuable British content they love.”
Cole was previously Senior Vice President for Content Distribution, responsible for U.S. unscripted co-productions and sales, and for all content sales in the Canadian market – delivering strong revenue growth and major partnerships deals. Prior to joining BBC Studios – Americas, Cole spent time as part of the Specialist Factual Commissioning team for the BBC in the UK, and as an Executive Producer and Head of Development in BBC Studios’ world-renowned Natural History Unit, where he was a program maker for over a decade on several landmark series.
Before joining BBC Studios – Americas, Miller held the role of SVP, International Strategy at Endeavor Content, with a focus on developing global expansion. During her tenure at Endeavor Content, Miller led efforts to supercharge foreign-language productions, building a significant project slate and establishing JV partnerships in Latin America, India, and South Korea. Prior to Endeavor Content, Miller lead international co-productions and originals for Vimeo and was part of the content acquisitions team at Hulu, working across premium licensing from major U.S. network and studio partners as well as leading international programming efforts. At Hulu, she was instrumental in developing content strategy and key acquisitions including iconic network hits such as This is Us, Empire, Power, and Homeland as well as the FX output deal, in addition to Peabody award-winning Deutschland 83 and National Treasure from Jack Thorne.
About BBC Studios
BBC Studios, a global content company with bold British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, its activities span content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries across both its own productions, and programs and formats made by high-quality UK independents. Award-winning British programs made by the business are internationally recognized across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Dancing with the Stars/Strictly Come Dancing, Top Gear, Doctor Who and Bluey. BBC Studios has offices in 22 markets globally, including ten production bases in the UK and production bases or partnerships in a further nine countries around the world. The company, which ordinarily makes around 2,500 hours of content a year for both the BBC and third parties including Apple, Amazon and China Mobile, is a champion for British creativity around the world. It is also a committed partner for the UK’s independent sector through a mix of equity partnerships, content investment and international distribution for program titles. To the BBC, BBC Studios contributes both cash dividends and funds for program-making, supporting the license fee and enhancing programs for UK audiences.
In the Americas, BBC Studios – with team members across the region – manages joint venture relationships with AMC Networks for flagship channel BBC AMERICA (U.S.) – home of original series Killing Eve and global brands Seven Worlds: One Planet, Doctor Who, and Top Gear – and with ITV for SVoD service BritBox (U.S./Canada), as well as a strategic partnership in Canada with Blue Ant Media for BBC Earth Channel. The company also operates a robust linear and digital content sales and co-productions operation, as well as a franchise management business. In addition, BBC Studios operates a major production unit in Los Angeles responsible for the highly-rated, Emmy®-nominated Dancing with the Stars and multi-award-winning Life Below Zero. In Brazil, through a production partnership with Endemol Shine, local production Dancing Brasil has become a breakout hit. In addition, the company has recently launched BBC SELECT in the U.S. and Canada, an ad-free, digital streaming channel offering unrivalled content across culture, politics and ideas, on Amazon Prime Video Channels and the Apple TV app.
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