BBC Studios Director of Content, Ralph Lee, has appointed Lisa Opie as Managing Director, UK Production.
Working into Lee, she will be responsible for delivering BBC Studios Productions’ business plan, defining and delivering the commercial strategy and be accountable for risk and business management.
Opie is currently Managing Director, Factual Production, BBC Studios, leading the creative heads, production management and business teams responsible for producing programmes including Blue Planet II, Killed By My Debt and Basquiat – Rags to Riches. Under her leadership the Factual Production team has secured third-party commissions, including BBC Studios’ first non-BBC commission Wildlife Warriors (formerly The Red List) for Discovery, Royal Wedding Watch for PBS, Fatberg Autopsy: The Secrets of the Sewers for Channel 4 and Stay Free: The Story of The Clash for Spotify.
Prior to her role leading BBC Studios’ Factual Production, Opie was the BBC’s Controller of Business for Factual & Daytime. She joined the BBC in 2013 from Two Four Digital, where she was Managing Director. Previously she was Managing Director of Content at Channel Five, responsible for the creative and editorial strategy for Five’s family of channels, and Managing Director of Flextech Television, a former partner with the BBC in UKTV.
Ralph Lee, Director of Content, BBC Studios said: “Lisa is a brilliant leader, with immense energy and business acumen. She has contributed greatly to BBC Studios’ commercial success to date. Under her watch the Factual Production team has won a raft of exciting commissions and produced outstanding content. I am delighted that she is taking on this new role, helping to ensure we continue to deliver and grow our world-class programming across the full breadth of our genres and specialisms.”
Lisa Opie, Managing Director, UK Production said: “I’m incredibly proud of everything that the Factual Production team have achieved over the last three and a half years. I’m thrilled to be taking on this broader role, as we look to grow our production business in the UK and internationally – with a plethora of new platforms and new opportunities, it’s a very exciting time.”
Opie will sit on the BBC Studios Executive Committee and work closely with the Genre Managing Directors. She will start her new role with immediate effect.
Jon Creamer
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