BBC Worldwide promotes Dempsey to board-level role

BBC Worldwide has promoted Paul Dempsey to its board and confirmed his appointment as managing director of it home entertainment division. Dempsey will report to BBC Worldwide chief executive John Smith.

His promotion comes five months after becoming acting managing director following the retirement of Chris Weller. Dempsey’s board responsibility will be to represent BBC Worldwide’s interests in its joint ventures within the home entertainment business such as Random House for BBC Books and Pearson Education for BBC Active.

He will also be charged with BBC Audiobooks and Audio & Music business and become the chairman of 2e – the DVD, music and production business.

Dempsey says that he will develop the “profitability of these businesses as they shift from physical products to digital platforms”.

Dempsey joined BBC Worldwide, the BBC’s commercial arm, in 1998 as UK sales director. In 2001, he became the managing director for BBC Audiobooks and in 2007, he was charged with BBC Worldwide’s Audio & Music businesses. Prior to joining BBC Worldwide, he held sales and marketing roles at companies including Mars Confectionery, Frontline and H Bauer.