BBC Studios appoints Rebecca Glashow as Americas president

Rebecca Glashow

BBC Studios has appointed Rebecca Glashow, the former co-head of ViacomCBS-owned Awesomeness, as president of its Americas division.

Glashow will be based in New York and will begin her new role on 1 June, reporting directly to Paul Dempsey, president of global distribution at BBCS.

She will oversee the company’s strategy in the US, Canada, and Latin America and replaces former president Ann Sarnoff, who moved to Warner Bros. last year leaving Nigel Gaines in interim charge.

Glashow most recently led all business operations at Awesomeness, including overseeing revenue generation, sales, marketing, research, distribution and production. Before that, she was chief strategy and distribution officer, where she oversaw global distribution, studio operations, and business development.

She has also held roles at Discovery, serving as SVP of digital distribution & partnerships and overseeing the strategy and operations for the factual giant’s digital video business, including launching mobile apps, OTT services, interactive experiences and streaming content offerings.

Glashow will also work closely with BBCS’s MD of international production and formats Matt Forde, who oversees shows such as Dancing With The Stars and the Life Below Zero franchise from the company’s LA base.

Paul Dempsey

Dempsey said: “Rebecca’s experience, energy, and entrepreneurial instincts make her perfectly placed to lead a new era of BBC Studios in the Americas as we look to take great British content to even wider audiences across the region.”

“Like many, I have long admired the BBC for their unparalleled dedication in bringing some of the most incredible story-telling to audiences around the world,” remarked Glashow. “So, I absolutely jumped at the opportunity to lead BBC Studios’ diversified businesses for the Americas – and can’t wait to get started.”

Restructured thinking

The appointment of Glashow comes nine months after Sarnoff moved to Warner Bros., a move that was followed by BBCS bringing its international sales and distribution business into a single global group with long-serving exec Dempsey overseeing the newly created division.

Dempsey, who has been with the BBC since 1998, relocated to New York as part of the rejig, with responsibility for BBCS’ overall sales and distribution strategy, key customer management and the company’s international channels and services.

Glashow’s arrival at BBCS also follows the merger of Viacom and CBS, which saw the recently merged outfit revamping its senior management team in November. The changes saw Awesomeness founder Brian Robbins, who had headed up Nickelodeon, being upped to president of kids and family entertainment at ViacomCBS – as well as taking on oversight of AwesomenessTV.

Earlier this year, ViacomCBS also implemented a restructure at Viacom Digital Studios, which saw the division’s former chief Kelly Day stepping down. Day, a fellow Awesomeness alum, was later appointed COO of ViacomCBS Network International.