BBC Worldwide expands Tobi de Graaff’s role

BBC Worldwide bolsters Western Europe sales team and hands Tobi de Graaff responsibility for leading relationship with global clients.

At the same time, BBC Worldwide appoints Nick Percy EVP for Northern Europe. Bothe will be reporting to Paul Dempsey, President Global Markets.

Nick_PercyPercy will oversee all of the company’s business activities in this newly created region, consisting of the Nordics and Benelux, and assumes responsibility for the Northern European channels portfolio, the newly formed production base BBC Worldwide Productions Nordics and the regional TV and format sales businesses.

Percy, previously VP and general manager for Central and Eastern Europe and prior to that director of business development and digital at BBC Worldwide, will start his new role immediately. He will be based at BBC Worldwide’s London headquarters.

“We have enjoyed great success in Benelux and the Nordics under Tobi’s leadership, launching our three new genre brands, creating the new production entity and increasing sales revenue. With the increasing importance of big customers to the key sales region of Western Europe Tobi will now take on additional responsibility for managing these crucial relationships,” said Dempsey.

“The focus in Northern Europe is different and Nick’s experience across multiple lines of business, and most recently running our sales operation in Central and Eastern Europe, will bring additional focus to the region and help us grow our already excellent relationship with consumers and clients.”

During the last year BBC Worldwide has launched all three new genre brands as linear channels in Northern Europe. Premium British drama channel BBC First launched across Benelux (in the Netherlands only on KPN, not in Ziggo), while factual entertainment channel BBC Brit and factual channel BBC Earth both launched across the Nordics.