BBC Studios rejigs in EMEA with hire of Paramount Global VP of sales, Simon Cottle to retire

BBC Studios (BBCS) has hired a distribution exec from Paramount Global and promoted two existing execs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) ahead of the retirement of VP of affiliate sales, Simon Cottle.

Bram Husken takes the newly created role of VP of Benelux for BBCS, leading on commercial strategy and responsible for commercial returns from BBC-branded services and content sales.

He is based in Amsterdam and reports into Arran Tindall, BBCS’s chief commercial officer and EVP in EMEA.

Husken was most recently VP of content distribution & management in the Benelux and Nordics at Paramount Global, responsible for strategic partnerships for content distribution and working on the launch of SkyShowtime.

BBCS has also promoted Amsterdam-based head of programming Hale Mouritz to become director of programming for Benelux and Nordics, with a remit across editorial and content strategy for operations in the regions.

He retains oversight of BBCS’s linear and VOD services in the region.

Andrea Raman, meanwhile, has been upped to business development director in the Nordics, MENA and Turkey, responsible for the distribution partnerships of BBCS branded services.

She is based in London and will also lead on the development of new business and commercial strategic partnerships, curating packages of BBC brands and content with third party partnerships.

The reorganisation comes ahead of the retirement of Cottle later this year, with his remit split regionally between Raman and Husken.

Tindall said: “Bram Husken is a strategic and talented leader who brings local expertise in the Benelux, I’m pleased that he is going to be leading our efforts in the region as we look to develop the BBC Studios brands and future portfolio in Benelux.

“Bram’s appointment alongside the well-deserved promotions of Hale Mouritz and Andrea Raman are vital for the EMEA business as we look to maximise value from our branded services and grow our major customer relationships in the territories across all our lines of business.”