BBCWW hires ex-Small World exec

Tara Gaule has joined BBC Worldwide soon after leaving Content Television-backed Small World IFT, TBI has learned.

Content has since drafted in Marta Csizmadia, the former Viacom and MTG sales exec, to handle format sales, and in related people news, Jamie Phillips is leaving Content for Lionsgate.

At the commercial arm of UK pubcaster the BBC, Gaule is now senior sales executive, working across TV shows and digital sales. In terms of territories, she will cover those in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

At Small World IFT – the format firm behind the international versions of Grandpas Over Flowers – she was vice president of format sales and development for Europe. TBI last week revealed her predecessor at Content, Luci Burnley, had joined Dentsu Aegis-owned content grouo The Stort Lab as its formats chief.

“We’re very pleased to have someone of Tara’s experience join the Middle East and Mediterranean sales team, a dynamic region with lots of growth opportunity,” Natasha Hussain, vice president and general manager, Mediterranean and Middle East told TBI. “Tara is an excellent asset to BBC Worldwide.”

Philips, meanwhile, is exiting Content and joining the UK division of US studio Lionsgate, and will work in the sales team headed by Charlotte Thorp.

Content, which has recently merged film and TV sales, said earlier this week it has hired Tom Bairstow from Sony as a new London-based sales VP.

Content, which counts Line of Duty among its top series, recently landed the Best Distributor gong at TBI’s Content Innovation Awards.