Sony Pictures Television Int’l taps Matt Ford for UK creator content economy push 

Sony Pictures Television International Production (SPTIP) has hired Matt Ford, formerly of BBC Studios, 4Studio and Cowshed, to partner with UK creators on digital-first content.

Matt Ford

Ford has joined SPTIP in the newly created role of VP of commercial and digital, reporting into Matthew Justice, executive VP, UK and Europe.

Working with Justice, Hannah Smith, VP of operations at SPT, and Wayne Garvie, president of international production, Ford is tasked with “supercharging” the group’s work on creating digital-first original content for streaming, digital, social and audio platforms.

Ford previously launched 4Studio while at Channel 4 and led digital commercial strategies for companies including BBC Studios, Social Chain, Cowshed Collective and Vice.

More recently, he co-founded digital-first media business CoLabX, having also helped scale UniLad from a start-up website to a multi-million pound business prior to its sale to LADBible in 2018.

SPT said it would have more news to share “in due course” as its engagement with the UK creator content economy gathers pace.

C21 understands Ford will engage directly from SPTIP with UK content creators on original content, rather than through the independent production companies in the group.

Ford said: “It’s an exciting moment to be part of such an iconic studio, especially one that has such a forward-thinking approach to digital, and I want to hear from UK creators who have bold ideas for new shows, new formats and new channels.”