De Graaff joins BBCWW

BBC Worldwide (BBCWW) has appointed former ITV Studios executive Tobi de Graaff to head up its activities in Western Europe.

De Graaff becomes exec VP for Western Europe and will oversee all of BBCWW’s businesses across German- and French-speaking markets, as well as Benelux, Scandinavia, Italy and Iberia.

His remit will include TV and digital sales, as well as channels, production and format sales across the region, plus licensing, publishing and live events.

He replaces David Weiland, who took up the post of exec VP Asia for BBCWW in May, and will be based in London, reporting to Paul Dempsey, president of global markets. He will start his new role on August 18.

De Graaff most recently headed up ITV Studios’ sales business as director of global TV distribution and before that was director of sales and acquisitions for Zodiak Television World. C21 broke the news of his departure in May.

Dempsey said BBCWW had “big ambitions” for the region and expected De Graaff’s appointment to “lead the next phase of growth.”

De Graaf added: “Working across a wide range of businesses such as channels, TV sales and production is a challenge that I’m really looking forward to.”

As well as a team based in London, BBCWW’s Western Europe division has offices and production bases in Cologne and Paris and international channels in the Nordics and Italy.

His appointment is the latest in a string of senior changes at BBCWW.

Weiland became BBCWW’s exec VP Asia after Joyce Yeung moved to oversee global content sales, while Ian McDonough, previously exec VP of CEMA, moved to join Turner Broadcasting.

McDonough’s position remains unfilled at BBCWW, while Joerg Bachmaier, who oversaw Western Europe on an interim basis following Weiland’s exit, is set to move back to the US at the end of August for an as-yet unspecified BBCWW role.