BBC Studios boosts senior US distribution ranks

L-R: Janet Brown & Tara Maitra

BBC Studios has boosted its senior ranks in the US, following a year of record growth for the company, with the appointment of Gunpowder & Sky’s Janet Brown as president of content distribution for North America and LatAm, while Tara Maitra has been promoted to chief commercial officer, global distribution.

Both execs will be based in New York and report directly to CEO of global distribution, Rebecca Glashow, who described Brown as a “proven dealmaker across content distribution spanning all formats and genres,” adding: “North America and LatAm are very strong, growing markets for BBC Studios, and we have only begun to tap into our potential.” Of the promoted Maitra, Glashow said that her “new responsibilities reflect the growing global demand for our content.”

Brown is charged with setting strategic direction for BBC Studios’ commercial businesses in North America and LatAm, working with networks and streaming platforms. She arrives at BBC Studios from LA-based indie Gunpowder & Sky, an independent entertainment studio that she joined in 2016 and where she led sales, marketing  and distribution as EVP of global distribution and commercial operations. Prior to that, Brown was CEO of FilmBuff, where she handled the worldwide distribution of over 1,500 titles, including theatrical, digital, linear television, international sales, and festival strategy.

Maitra, meanwhile, joined BBC Studios in January 2021 as chief commercial officer for the Americas, with her new role giving her oversight of global syndication and advertising sales. Prior to BBC Studios, Maitra was the chief revenue officer at data exchange platform BDEX, and she also spent 11 years at TiVo holding various leadership roles.

Brown commented: “BBC Studios’ roster of deeply resonant IP, its far-flung network of creator and buyer relationships, and its unparalleled ties into the rich British talent heritage in front and behind the camera are all pretty incredible. The company is only just beginning to bring these assets to the broader North American & Latin American market and I couldn’t be more excited to help grow the brand and the company on this side of the pond.”