Fremantle hires C4, BBC alum to new diversity & inclusion role

Babita Bahal

Fremantle has named former BBC and Channel 4 exec Babita Bahal to a newly created role overseeing diversity, equity and inclusion at the global prodco group.

Bahal becomes group head of DE & I at Fremantle with a remit to drive the company’s global initiatives, reporting into group HR director Nicky Gray.

She was most recently head of creative diversity at the UK”s C4, leading a team tasked with ensuring the broadcaster improved its on- and off-screen representation across its content. She behind initiatives including the channel’s recent Black To Front project, as well as its Paralympics coverage and the Indie Accelerator.

Prior to C4, Bahal was the diversity and inclusion lead for BBC Content, working with channel controllers, commissioning teams and production companies to discover and develop talent from underrepresented backgrounds.

Gray said: “Babita brings a wealth of experience that will help accelerate our efforts in continuously shaping a more diverse and inclusive culture. We have a responsibility as an organisation to ensure our workforce is inclusive and reflects the communities in which we live and the audiences we serve.

“Our ongoing commitment to reflecting the diversity of the world in which we operate, on and off-screen, is essential to the success of our business and our creativity. By bringing Babita on board we are further committed to ensuring accountability for our progress.”

Bahal added that the move would offer the chance “to build an inclusive, creative culture within a large, successful, global content creator.”