BBC Australia makes three key executive appointments
BBC Studios Productions Australia has expanded its leadership team with three executive appointments.
Scott Hartley joins as head of production for its scripted division, overseeing the company’s growing drama slate.
He comes from Fremantle Australia, where, as scripted productions supervisor, he steered the international success story Heartbreak High for Netflix, and dark ABC comedy Bay Of Fires. Prior to this, Hartley worked as scripted production executive at Amazon Studios, where he managed the production and development of The Office Australia, and Deadloch.
Amanda Bainbridge, who has been with BBC Studios since 2023 as an executive producer across a number of reality titles, moves into the role of creative head of post production, leading post on unscripted shows such as Dancing With The Stars, The Great Australian Bake Off and Top Gear Australia.
Scott Hartley, Amanda Bainbridge and Amber Brown
Amber Brown joins as director of partnerships, digital and brands, and will drive off-air brand activations, as well as “spearheading the growth of brand-funded entertainment and digital for locally produced programming”, according to the BBC. Brown joins from Uber ANZ, where she led strategic partnerships. Prior to this, she worked at Meta, Fremantle Media, Nine Network, and Zenith.
The BBC’s local production arm had a banner 2024, with Return To Paradise becoming the ABC’s top-rating drama for the year, screening in 99 countries. In addition, it launched Ghosts Australia, the local iteration of the UK’s most-watched show of 2023. Both shows return for 2025, along with a third as-yet announced scripted series.
Kylie Washington, EVP and creative director of global entertainment, at BBC Studios ANZ, calls this expansion “a pivotal time for BBC Studios Productions Australia”, saying in a media release these new hires will “be instrumental in expanding our capabilities, strengthening our creative output, and driving innovation across our productions.”
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