BSkyB Revamps U.K. Acquisitions Management Team

LONDON – U.K. satellite broadcaster BSkyB is revamping its acquisitions team adding movies to one executive's shopping list duties along with a promotion.

The satellite operator, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, boosted current Sky Entertainment controller of acquisitions Sarah Wright to controller of acquisitions, Sky.

With her new title comes responsibility for the acquisitions for Sky Movies to her existing entertainment duties.

Wright will take the reins from current controller of acquisitions for Sky Movies, Simon Rexworthy who will join the satellite operator's strategy team from October.

Wright has been at Sky for three years and her resume boasts the launch of Sky Atlantic and overseeing the acquisitions strategy for the re-launches of Sky Living and Sky Arts.

In her new role Wright will be extending these skills to include Sky Movies.

The division recently sealed a deal to air all 23 titles in the James Bond franchise on a dedicated channel from Oct. 5 this year, timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary celebrations of the release of the first Bond movie, Dr No, on the same day in October 1962.

Rexworthy will move to a broader strategy role in Sky, following his success in developing the strategy for Sky Movies.

In addition, Holly Comiskey and Lucy Criddle have both been promoted to the roles of senior acquisitions manager for Movies and Entertainment respectively.

Comiskey will oversee for managing movies acquisitions on a day-to-day basis, while Criddle will take on responsibility for managing the entertainment acquisitions across Sky’s portfolio of channels, which includes Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living and Sky Arts.

Both will report to Wright.

Ian Lewis, director Sky Movies and director of Acquisitions at Sky said: "Lucy and Holly have a great track record – whether securing our brand new entertainment shows such as Arrow, or our acquisition of all 23 Bond films from October. I’m sure under Sarah’s expert guidance, the team will secure an even more impressive portfolio of content for our customers in future."