BBC Studios has announced the appointment of Martyn Freeman as its new Chief Operating Officer.
Freeman is currently the company’s General Counsel, overseeing the company’s business and legal affairs, global operations, compliance and risk. His new appointment will see him extend his portfolio to take on responsibility for technology, transformation and property.
Two months after being confirmed as the permanent CEO of BBC Studios, Tom Fussell has made this appointment to a role that sits at the heart of the company’s future business.
“This is a critical role for BBC Studios’ future and I am delighted that Martyn has agreed to take on the additional responsibility, said Tom Fussell, who was recently confirmed as the company’s COO. “He has overseen BBC Studios’ operational response to the pandemic, bringing his trademark calm and focus to a challenging set of circumstances for the business and its staff and ensuring that everyone has had the support they need to do their jobs.”
Freeman has served as General Counsel for BBC Studios since its inception, having previously served in the role for BBC Worldwide from 2011. Before that, he led BBC Worldwide’s Legal and Business Affairs teams, as Group Head and then Director where he oversaw the creation of partnerships such as BBC Books and 2entertain, the re-structuring of joint ventures with Discovery, and the financing and production of BBC Worldwide’s slate of natural history feature films.
Prior to this, Freeman worked in a variety of roles across the BBC, including as Head of Business Affairs, Radio & Music, Factual & Learning and News.