Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) has promoted Catherine Powell to sales director, U.K. & Ireland. She will be responsible for leading the U.K. free and pay TV distribution of BVITV s portfolio of entertainment, which includes drama and comedy network series such as DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and LOST, Disney branded kids content, movies (such as the upcoming THE HITCHHIKER S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY) and ABC News programming. BVITV also services the distribution of the Jetix portfolio of programming.
Powell joined BVITV in June 2004, as creative director, Portfolio Development Group, where she worked on BVITV s formats and local production activity, including the highly successful local version of the format EXTREME MAKEOVER in the U.K. on LIVINGtv, and its roll-out in other territories across Europe.
Catherine will bring to this key role a wealth of TV distribution experience across a wide range of European TV markets, combined with an in-depth knowledge of our portfolio and business, said Tom Toumazis, evp/md, EMEA, BVITV. Our knowledgeable, localised sales teams give us an advantage in better understanding our clients businesses and programming needs.
BVITV EMEA is headquartered in London, with local sales teams in Munich, Rome, Madrid and Paris. Powell will report to Alison Homewood, vp, sales EMEA, BVITV.
Before joining BVITV, Powell worked for BBC Worldwide, covering TV sales for Central & Eastern Europe and the Middle East from 2003-2004. She managed TV sales across Germany, from the companys Berlin office from 2000-2003. She joined BBC Worldwide in 1997, working on TV sales for Spain and Portugal.
Buena Vista International Television is responsible for The Walt Disney Companys branded and non-branded program distribution. BVITV distributes more than 30,000 hours of programming, and services the distribution of programming from the Jetix portfolio, to some 1,300 broadcasters across 240 territories worldwide. BVITV also licenses award-winning ABC News programming.
