News

22nd Sep 2017

BSAC Board Bolstered By Industry Big Hitters

JOHN ENSER, ANDREW HALL, SOPHIE JONES and REBECCA O’BRIEN appointed as directors of the British Screen Advisory Council.

 Andrew Hall John Enser Sophie Jones Rebecca OBrien

 

 

 

 

BSAC has today announced four Board appointments, with John Enser (Partner, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP), Andrew Hall (Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs, NBCUniversal International), Sophie Jones (Head of Corporate Relations, Channel 4) and Rebecca O’Brien (Producer, Sixteen Films) agreeing to serve as Directors.

BSAC is a membership organisation comprising senior executives from the broadest possible range of interests in the audiovisual sector, including film, TV, on-demand, interactive entertainment and other means of monetising audiovisual content. It acts as a private forum, enabling leading industry figures to consider and discuss new technological, business and policy developments, and providing policymakers with informed advice and opinion on issues of importance to the sector.

As the new Directors take office, Mark Devereux (Partner, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP) and Stephen Garrett (Executive Chairman, Character Seven) step down after serving for 11 years and 3 years respectively.

Dr Jo Twist (CEO, Ukie), will remain in post as Deputy Chair.

 

Jon Gisby (BSAC Chair) said,

‘I am delighted that the BSAC Board will be augmented by four new Directors who represent the breadth and diversity of BSAC’s Membership. Their interests and experience include public service broadcasting, audio-visual regulation, copyright law, international production and distribution and independent film and they will complement Dr Jo Twist’s perspectives from the Games sector.

 Their appointment also marks the end of an era and I would like to thank both Mark Devereux from CMS and Stephen Garrett of Character Seven for their outstanding service to BSAC over many years, and particularly in supporting the new leadership team at BSAC over the last twelve months.’

 

John Enser said,

‘I have been supporting BSAC activities in various roles for nearly 20 years. During that time, I have seen the value that it brings to its members and to the wider sector. I am delighted to join the Board and to help shape the way in which it will continue to deliver that value.’

 

Andrew Hall said,

‘I am very pleased to be joining the Board of BSAC. It is a unique organisation that brings together a wide and diverse group of audio-visual sector players who both learn from each other and promote the sector within the UK and beyond. At a time of rapid change, BSAC has a very important role to play and I look forward to contributing to its activities.’

 

Sophie Jones said,

‘Having been involved with BSAC for a number of years, I know it plays an important part in building shared knowledge across the screen industries. Now is a particularly pivotal moment, as the sector considers the challenges and opportunities of creative and technological change and an ever more complex policy landscape. I am delighted to be joining the Board to help develop the next phase of its vital work.’

 

Rebecca O’Brien said,

 ‘It’s an honour to join the Board of BSAC. The organisation consistently enlightens and informs its members about incredible innovations in our ever-changing screen world. If I can assist in keeping this flow of information fresh and useful then I’ll be serving BSAC well.’

 

Notes to editors

 

  • John Enser will serve on BSAC’s Board on an independent basis.

John is a Partner at CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP, and provides commercial, regulatory and copyright law advice to clients across the Technology, Media and Communications sector, in particular, those offering music and audio-visual content via digital platforms. He has been at the forefront of digital media developments for nearly 30 years, assisting clients to launch new and innovative services across a range of technologies; from the dawn of satellite television, through the birth of the worldwide web to today’s multi-channel synchronised offerings across broadcast TV, tablets, smartphones and all other forms of connected device.

John has a particular expertise in the licensing of music rights (both individually and collectively) and has represented parties in leading UK Copyright Tribunal cases involving the licensing of music for use in CDs, DVDs, in online and mobile music, in broadcast and in on-demand television. He has also been involved in establishing licensing models for other types of music use, including in various aspects of the leisure sector.

His clients include broadcasters and other content aggregators and distributors, record companies, pure-play digital content businesses and mobile operators as well as companies that invest in the sector.

 

  • Andrew Hall will serve on BSAC’s Board on an independent basis.

Andrew Hall is Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs at NBCUniversal International in which position he leads the company’s government affairs, regulatory and content protection functions for the world outside North America.  He is a member of the Senior Management Team at NBCUniversal International and is based in London.

Prior to this, Andrew was Chief Counsel, Legal and Business Affairs for NBCUniversal International.  He started his in-house career working in the corporate head office of PolyGram NV in London, subsequently moving to head up the legal team at Universal Pictures International.

Andrew started his legal career at the city law firm Slaughter and May where he trained and qualified into the company commercial department, working in both their London and Hong Kong offices.

Andrew has been a Member of BSAC since 2008.

 

  • Sophie Jones will serve on BSAC’s Board on an independent basis.

Sophie Jones is Head of Corporate Relations at Channel 4, where she has worked since 2008.

In this role Sophie oversees public policy, regulatory affairs, public affairs and stakeholder relations, events and internal communications for the public service broadcaster. This entails taking a lead on external relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, demonstrating Channel 4’s public service record and ensuring the organisation is able to operate in an appropriate policy and regulatory environment. The role also entails reporting Channel 4’s public service remit performance to Parliament and Ofcom. The role sits within Channel 4’s Marketing and Communications Directorate. Prior to Channel 4, Sophie held a range of similar roles in public service broadcasting organisations, including senior public and corporate affairs positions at ITV and ITN.

Sophie is a long standing member of BSAC Council.  She sits on Channel 4’s Diversity Task Force and previously held a Board position at ATVOD.

She is a graduate in French from King’s College, London and has a Masters’ degree in Media Management from Stirling University.

Sophie has been a Member of BSAC since 2011.

 

  • Rebecca O’Brien will serve on BSAC’s Board on an independent basis.

Rebecca has been an independent film producer for thirty years and runs the British production company, Sixteen Films with Ken Loach and, as associate director, writer Paul Laverty.

She has produced sixteen feature films directed by Ken Loach, including Land and Freedom (Best Film EFA 1995), My Name is Joe and Looking for Eric. In 2006 The Wind that Shakes the Barley won the Palme d’Or in Cannes. The Angels’ Share won the Jury Prize at Cannes in 2012. Her most recent Ken Loach/Paul Laverty project I, Daniel Blake also launched in competition in Cannes and won the team their second Palme d’Or last year.

She has also produced a number of other films including Bean (1996), Princesa (2001) and City of Tiny Lights directed by Pete Travis, which launched last year at the Toronto and London Film Festivals. Her feature documentary about Ken Loach’s career, Versus: the Life and Films of Ken Loach, directed by Louise Osmond, was released in the UK in 2016. She recently released an interactive online project called How to Make a Ken Loach Film which is supported by Arte. (www.howtomakeakenloachfilm.com/en)

She is currently on the boards of the British producers’ organization PACT, the European Film Academy and the British Screen Advisory Council.

Rebecca has been a Member of BSAC since 2013.

 

  • The British Screen Advisory Council (BSAC)

The British Screen Advisory Council (BSAC) is an independent industry-funded body that uniquely brings together the widest range of business interests in the UK audiovisual industries. Membership is by invitation only and operates through a named senior executive of an organisation serving as Member. Individual membership may also be offered in some cases.

BSAC provides a private place where its Members can share experience, intelligence and insight on business and policy issues at a time of rapid change. Where possible, it drives consensus amongst its Membership, thereby providing policymakers at a national and European level with informed advice and opinion on issues of importance to the sector.

 

  • For further information, please contact:

Pete Johnson, Chief Executive

British Screen Advisory Council (BSAC)

Telephone:                020 7287 1111

Email:                        [email protected]

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