BBC appoints Director of HR for BBC Studios

Jermaine Daw will lead People Strategy for the BBC’s commercial arm

The BBC announced the appointment of Jermaine Daw as Director of HR for BBC Studios. Daw, who also joins the BBC Studios Executive Committee, will commence the role in June, reporting to Uzair Qadeer, Chief People Officer, BBC.

Daw brings more than 20 years of international experience in the sports, media, entertainment and FMCG industries to BBC Studios. He spent more than a decade with the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he led the strategic and operational delivery of organisational design, talent acquisition and management, change management, employee experience and benefits and rewards for all of the NBA’s business units outside the U.S. Most recently, he was Vice President and Chief People Officer of EMEA for Wella, one of the world’s leading beauty companies. Previously, he has also worked for HBO, and EssilorLuxottica.

BBC Studios is a global media company borne of the BBC. It makes and distributes the world’s most sought-after content, as well as creating and nurturing iconic brands. In addition to being the BBC’s biggest supplier of programming, with hits such as Strictly Come Dancing, Return to Paradise and The Americas, it also creates global hits for partners including Apple, Disney+, Netflix and more, such as Prehistioric Planet, Bluey and Baby Reindeer, and operates thriving media and streaming businesses, including BritBox and UKTV.

Uzair Qadeer, Chief People Officer, BBC, said: “Jermaine has an exceptionally strong background in helping organisations build world-class people solutions which spur innovation and growth. He will be an excellent addition to our HR team and I am looking forward to welcoming him to the BBC Group. My thanks go to Helen Cooper for the superb work she did while she was Interim HR Director, and I wish her all the best in her new role.”

Tom Fussell, CEO, BBC Studios, said: “We have a determination to rapidly grow our business, so we need senior executives with significant commercial experience in global markets on our team. Jermaine brings deep knowledge in building international teams who deliver growth at scale and pace and shaping high performance cultures to BBC Studios and I’m really looking forward to working closely with him.”

Jermaine Daw said: “I’m honoured to join BBC Studios at a pivotal moment in its journey. As we continue to grow and evolve, I’m passionate about adding to the building of a future-focused, inclusive culture that empowers bold creativity, unlocks leadership potential, and inspires our people to thrive. I look forward to working with the many talented colleagues across the globe to support our people and power the next chapter of BBC Studios’ success.”

Helen Cooper, interim HR Director, BBC Studios, will remain with the company in the newly created role of Transformation Director, BBC Studios. She will report to Tom Fussell. 

Tom Fussell said: “I want to thank Helen for doing a remarkable job as interim HR Director. We are now looking forward to utilising her experience in helping us optimise our operating model to support future growth.”

ENDS