Northern Ireland Screen CEO Richard Williams to depart after two decades

Industry agency Northern Ireland Screen’s CEO Richard Williams will step down in December after 23 years in the post.

Richard Williams

The organisation, which promotes Northern Ireland as a world-leading hub for the screen sectors, said it will begin the recruitment process to find Williams’ successor in the next few weeks.

During his tenure as CEO, Williams oversaw the development of the Paint Hall at Titanic Quarter in Belfast as a film studio, helping establish the infrastructure that would go on to support HBO’s Game of Thrones for eight seasons.

Northern Ireland Screen also partnered with Belfast Harbour Commission in the development of Belfast Harbour Studios and supported the emergence of Studio Ulster, strengthening Northern Ireland’s capacity to attract international productions.

Under Williams’ leadership, Northern Ireland Screen expanded its support across large-scale production, television drama, independent film, factual entertainment, animation, games and interactive content, Irish-language and Ulster-Scots production.

He also played a significant role in the development of UK tax incentives for high-end television drama, “helping to create the conditions that made Northern Ireland more competitive as a destination for large-scale screen production.”

Northern Ireland Screen said that over the course of Williams’ time as CEO, more than £1bn (US$1.3bn) was returned to the nation’s economy through screen production.

Williams said: “From Hunger to An Irish Goodbye, from Derry Girls to Blue Lights, it has been extremely satisfying to see Northern Ireland stories, locations and talent reach audiences locally and internationally.

“We’ve achieved a lot and I’m proud of my part in it, but there are new challenges ahead and this is the right time for a new CEO to lead Northern Ireland Screen into its next chapter.”

David Sterling, chair of Northern Ireland Screen, said: “Richard has made an enormous contribution to Northern Ireland Screen and to the creative industries in Northern Ireland over the past 23 years.

“His passion for the sector, his professionalism and his unwavering dedication have helped to transform Northern Ireland into a globally recognised centre for film and television production.”