BBCS promotes to fill China GM role

BBC Studios (BBCS) has promoted Ding Ke to senior VP and general manager in the Greater China region, replacing Kelvin Yaum, who left the company in December.

Ding Ke

Ke is currently head of content sales and formats for BBCS in mainland China, a role she has held since 2017.

She joined the commercial and production arm of the UK pubcaster in 2011, initially responsible for TV sales in mainland China before transferring to the consumer products department in 2014.

Based in Beijing, Ke will take up her new role on June 1, where she will be responsible for BBCS’s Greater China business, including content distribution, copros, format sales and branded services.

Meanwhile, Phil Hardman, who has been acting general manager for Greater China since Yau’s departure, alongside his role as senior VP of commercial operations and strategy, will take on a broader remit as senior VP of commercial strategy for BBCS Asia from June 1.

Phil Hardman

Hardman joined BBCS in 2014 as financial controller for Asia, before moving to VP of finance for Asia in 2016. Since 2018, his role has expanded to include business operations for China, commercial operations and strategy across Asia.

Jon Penn, exec VP of BBC Studios APAC, said: “Ding Ke has been an integral part of the leadership team in China since she joined in 2011, and has been responsible for strong sales growth over the past three years as our head of content sales and formats. She has forged new partnerships with clients and is an outstanding ambassador for BBC Studios’ Global Distribution business in the region.

“Phil has done an exceptional job leading the Greater China team over the last few months and his new, expanded role will enable us to reap the benefits of his strategic commercial leadership.”