BBC Worldwide Appoints de Graaff as EVP-Western Europe

Tobi de Graaff

London, UK, August 4, 2014--BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, announces today the appointment of Tobi de Graaff to the role of Executive Vice-President (EVP) for Western Europe. De Graaff will oversee all of BBC Worldwide’s businesses across German and French speaking markets in Europe, as well as Benelux, Scandinavia, Italy and Iberia.  He will be responsible for all TV and Digital sales, Channels, Production and Format sales, Licensing and Publishing as well as Live Events across Western Europe.   The position was previously held by David Weiland who took up the post of EVP Asia for BBC Worldwide in May. 

Based in London, de Graaff will report to Paul Dempsey, President of Global Markets, and will start his new role on 18August.   He brings with him a wealth of experience having headed up ITV Studio’s sales business as Director of Global TV Distribution and prior to that he was Director of Sales & Acquisitions for Zodiak Television World.

Paul Dempsey, President, Global Markets said: “BBC Worldwide has been enjoying strong revenue and profit growth in Western Europe and with Tobi joining the team I am confident that we can scale even greater heights. We have big ambitions for this region and I am delighted we have found a leader of Tobi’s calibre to lead the next phase of growth.”

de Graaf added:  “BBC Worldwide is a world class organisation and I’m hugely excited to be part of this company.  Working across a wide range of businesses such as Channels, TV Sales and Production is a challenge that I’m really looking forward to.”

As well as a team based in London, BBC Worldwide’s Western Europe business has offices and production bases in Cologne and Paris and international channels in the Nordics and Italy.