BBC Studios’ Caroline Stone exits after 15 years to join Faith Penhale’s Pathé

Caroline Stone

BBC Studios scripted exec Caroline Stone is leaving the company to take up a new role at Faith Penhale-led Pathé.

Stone takes up the newly created role of commercial director at Pathé Productions and will advise on growth strategy while also seeking commercial opportunities for the expanding firm.

She joins following a 15-year tenure at BBCS Productions, where sice 2020 she was commercial director of scripted, where she worked on shows ranging from Small Axe and The Pursuit Of Love to Sherwood and This Is Going To Hurt.

Stone will work with former BBC drama exec Penhale and director of business affairs, Pierre du Plessis, as well as head of production, Imogen Bell.

Pathé operates as a studio in France, the UK, the Netherlands and Switzerland, and also distributes. Its output includes The Queen and Philomena.

It is also moving into TV, with Penhale joining earlier this year following a three-year spell at BBCS-owned Lookout Point to drive a “new era for Pathe UK in the scripted television space.”

Stone said: “Pathé is such an iconic company that I have long admired, they have built a fantastic reputation for the consistently high quality and distinctiveness of their creative output. And I couldn’t be more delighted to be working with Faith again at such an exciting time for the business.”

Penhale added: “I’ve known Caroline for a long time and seen firsthand the exceptional skills and experience she has in her field. She’s a real one-off, commercially and creatively brilliant and exceptionally collaborative. I can’t wait to join forces with her at this exciting stage to build on Pathé’s long standing reputation as the home for the best storytellers.”