Literary estate management company, International Literary Properties, has hired former Sky and Stolen Picture exec Emma Bell to help expand its TV and film co-production capacity.

Bell started her TV career at Paramount Comedy before moving to Sky where she spent over a decade developing content for Sky’s biggest entertainment brands in senior roles including Head of Digital Entertainment and Head of Development.

In 2017, Bell joined Sony-backed production company Stolen Picture. As Head of Development, she worked on both original projects and multiple book-to-screen adaptations for TV and film, including Harry Harrison’s cult sci-fi novel Technicolor Time Machine with Simon Pegg; Tim Walker’s comedy crime novel Smoke Over Malibu with Kit Harington and Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London universe with Nick Frost. Her credits include Truth Seekers (Amazon Prime) and Out of Her Mind (BBC2).

As Vice President of Creative and Brand and Executive Producer, Bell will lead ILP’s creative team, working in close partnership with producers to adapt ILP’s books, plays and other titles across all media for the international market. She will also lead the brand strategy for ILP and its authors, working with agents, publishers, estates and fans to elevate their legacy. Based in London, Bell will report to Hilary Strong, ILP’s CEO UK & Europe, and work closely with ILP Global CEO Scott Hoffman and Molly Cusick, VP Literary, in New York.

ILP has closed multiple TV, film and stage deals since 2019, including one to co-develop a new, returning English-language Inspector Maigret drama series with Georges Simenon Limited (GSL), Colin Callender’s Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning Playground and Red Arrow Studios International. In 2020, ILP closed an exclusive first look deal with BBC Studios and its partner production companies.

Emma Bell, Vice President Creative and Brand, Executive Producer, ILP says: “I am thrilled to be joining such an innovative and accomplished team and I am looking forward to working with ILP and our talented and experienced creative partners to bring even more wonderful books to screen and stage. It is a privilege to champion our rapidly growing family of authors and bring their work to international TV, film and theatre audiences.”

Hilary Strong, CEO, UK and Europe, ILP says: “Emma brings a significant depth of experience in book to screen development and has a forensically creative approach, which ensures that the producers and talent that we work with are fully supported throughout the development process.  ILP is the first company to acquire literary estates, specifically with a view to optimising their potential, by bringing the wonderful stories within them alive for modern audiences. I am truly delighted that Emma will be spearheading this important work both for us and for the families of the estates that we partner with.”