Ex-BBC Children’s chief Alice Webb named CEO of Landsec’s MediaCity facility in Salford

Former BBC Children’s director Alice Webb has been appointed CEO of MediaCity in Salford, Greater Manchester, by property investment firm Landsec.

Alice Webb

The hire strengthens Landsec’s ambitions to position MediaCity as the UK’s leading hub for media, creativity and innovation. Webb starts her new role in September.

In the newly created position, Webb will lead both MediaCity and TV studio facility dock10, where shows such as the BBC’s Match of the Day and Channel 4 quiz Countdown are filmed.

She is tasked with bringing the two brands under a unified leadership to reflect Landsec’s drive to take a more joined-up approach across its media and studio operations.

Webb joins from Universal Music Group, where she served as the founding CEO of Mercury Studios. The outfit coproduced Steven Knight’s recent BBC drama This Town, as well as Channel 4 performance film Stormzy Live in London: This Is What We Mean.

Before that she held senior leadership positions at the BBC, including director of children’s and education, overseeing kids’ brands CBeebies and CBBC. Her 11-year tenure at the pubcaster also saw Webb serve as programme director for Project North and chief operating officer of BBC North.

The latter role saw Webb direct the broadcaster’s partial relocation to MediaCity in 2011, an operation which brought more than 2,000 employees to Salford.

Current dock10 CEO Mark Senior will step down upon Webb’s arrival to concentrate on an ongoing advisory role.

Landsec took a 75% stake in MediaCity in 2021 for £430m (US$571m), comprising L&G’s full share and 25% from Peel. Last November, Landsec acquired Peel’s remaining 25%, plus the entirety of dock10 and a 218-bed hotel for a cash consideration of £22m plus the assumption of £61m of secured debt.

Webb said: “I’m delighted to be joining Landsec and returning to lead a community with a proven track record of creative ambition but with so much potential ahead of it too.

“Landsec’s commitment to that potential is compelling and I’m excited to pick up the reins and lead MediaCity into its next chapter. We have a very bright future of media, innovation, growth and creativity ahead of us. I can’t wait to get started later this year.”

Mike Hood, COO at Landsec, said: “Alice’s appointment is a major milestone in the evolution of MediaCity. Her proven leadership in the media sector and ability to deliver large-scale transformation make her the ideal person to lead MediaCity and dock10 into the future together, under a bold new vision.

“As we expand MediaCity into a hub for media, creativity, and innovation, uniting property and production under one leadership will unlock even greater value for our partners, tenants and communities. We’re excited about what’s ahead.”