NEW YORK, MARCH 21, 2022 – BBC Studios, a global content company with bold British creativity at its heart, has appointed Rosemary Mercedes as senior vice president, communications, Americas.  Effective immediately, she reports to BBC Studios SVP Global Communications Gavin Dawson, and is based in New York.   

In this role, her responsibilities include refining and elevating the company’s positioning in the marketplace while promoting its partnerships and activities across the industry.  

Said Dawson, “Rosemary has extensive experience leading communications strategy development and media relations, content publicity, internal communications, diversity & inclusion strategies and reputation management. Her enthusiasm and energy match her experience and I couldn’t be more excited about her joining the team at what is a busy time of expansion and growth for BBC Studios Americas.”  

In the last two years, BBC Studios Americas has positioned itself for growth, expanding its relationships with partners, strengthening its portfolio, launching OTT and subscription services and cementing its place as a leading distributor of premium content to major networks and streaming platforms, licensing over 1,500 hours of content in the last year alone, including such noted series as I May Destroy You, Small Axe, The Green Planet and hit kids show Bluey. 

Remarked Mercedes, “I am delighted to join the world-class team at BBC Studios that develops and distributes premium content of unrivalled range and quality. I look forward to raising awareness of the brand and supporting the continued growth and reach of BBC Studios content in the Americas.”  

Mercedes joins BBC Studios with 20-plus years of communications experience across the media, higher education and non-profit sectors. She most recently served as Univision’s executive vice president and chief communications officer where she was instrumental in raising the profile of the company, and played an integral role in some of Univision’s most successful communications and awareness campaigns for more than 15 years.  

Earlier in her career, Mercedes worked at Halogen Communications, a public relations firm in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she served clients across the education, social responsibility, and real estate sectors. In recognition of her achievements, she was acknowledged among the Rising Communications Leaders in North America by The Holmes Report; named Pioneer of the Year by the HPRA (Hispanic Public Relations Association); recognized among the Top Women in PR by PR News; and featured as one of the Top 40 PR Professionals Under 40 in the U.S. by PR Week.  

About BBC Studios ̶ Americas 

New York-headquartered BBC Studios  ̶  Americas is the North American-based division of BBC Studios, a global content company with bold British creativity at its heart.  BBC Studios – Americas operates and/or jointly operates a diverse portfolio of businesses ranging from distribution and production of original content to linear (the joint venture BBC America), FAST channels (from Classic Doctor Who to the recently-launched BBC Kids) and streaming media platforms (BBC Select, BritBox).  

In the U.S., BBC Studios – Americas is a leading distributor of premium content to major networks and streaming platforms, licensing nearly 7,000 hours of content (i.e., I May Destroy You, Small Axe, His Dark Materials, Bluey) on average annually. Additionally, 100+ hours of original scripted and unscripted content is produced per year by BBC Studios  ̶  Americas’ production unit in Los Angeles, ranging from Emmy®-winning Dancing with the Stars, multi-award-winning Life Below Zero, and popular reboot of classic quiz show Weakest Link, to adaptations of British hits such as Ghosts, Welcome to Flatch (This Country in the UK) and Call Me Kat (based on UK format Miranda). 

BBC Studios is the commercial subsidiary of the BBC.  With offices in 20 markets globally, it produces 2,000 hours of content on average annually for both the BBC and third parties including Apple, Netflix, and Migu. BBC.com, BBC Studios’ global digital news platform, provides up-to-the-minute international news, in-depth analysis and features to 139 million+ unique browsers each month. For more information, follow BBC Studios  ̶  Americas on Twitter: @BBCStudiosUSPR | BBC Studios Press Room