Lisa Opie has been named as the new Genre Director of Factual for BBC Studios.

BBC Studios’ Factual division spans Natural History, Science, Features, Daytime, History, Arts and Docs.

Currently Controller of Business for Factual & Daytime, Opie will lead BBC Studios’ Factual teams, working with creative leads, production management and business teams to grow the division.

She will report  to Mark Lindsey, the Director of BBC Studios and sit on the BBC Studios Board.

Before joining the BBC three years ago, Opie was Managing Director of Two Four Digital.  Previously she was Managing Director of Content at Channel Five and Managing Director of Flextech Television.

Opie will work alongside genre director of entertainment and events Roger Leatham and scripted director Nick Betts, who were both appointed earlier this month.

BBC Studios management is now preparing to appoint creative leads for each genre production division of BBC Studios, before it moves into the commercial market in April 2017.

Lindsey said: “Factual is an enormously important area for BBC Studios and in Lisa we have the right leader to champion this part of our business. I’m consistently impressed by Lisa’s leadership style, clear decision making and immense energy and I know Lisa will give our creative teams the space and support to succeed.”



Opie said: “BBC Studios is full of brilliant creative talent. The opportunity to focus, refine and expand our business in the market is exciting. I’m looking forward to making BBC Studios a great place to work, where our teams can have creative autonomy, work from a multitude of geographic bases and do their best work. I’m excited to be helping to build a new, confident and entrepreneurial culture within BBC Studios.”

She will take up her new position immediately.

Staff Reporter

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