BBC Worldwide COO scoops Barclays Corporate Business Award at Women in Film & TV Awards

Friday 2nd December – Sarah Cooper, COO and deputy CEO of BBC Worldwide today received the Barclays Corporate Business Award at the prestigious Women in Film and TV (WFTV) Awards. The Awards which celebrate the top women in the film and TV industry were held at the Park Lane Hilton Hotel in London and were hosted by comedy writer and actress, Miranda Hart.

“The Barclays Corporate Business Award attracted an impressive list of nominations this year,” said WFTV’s CEO, Kate Kinninmont. “And this year’s winner is truly outstanding on anyone’s power list. She is Sarah Cooper, COO and deputy CEO of billion pound global enterprise, BBC Worldwide. Sarah not only leads the teams providing legal support, rights negotiations, and policy/regulatory compliance, but she has also played a pivotal role in every major acquisition and partnership made by the organisation over the past 16 years. She also masterminded the relocation of the company HQ and its 1,500 staff to a modern high tech centre, reflecting BBC Worldwide’s rapid transition into the digital age.”

BBC Worldwide brought in more than £300 million in revenue last year following the international success of TV shows including Doctor Who, Top Gear, Lonely Planet, the international version of Strictly Come Dancing and Planet Earth.

“It’s great to see more women in top jobs in the UK film and TV industry. With this award Sarah Cooper has not only won the recognition she deserves, but also greater recognition for the role that women play on the operational side of the business,” said Lorraine Ruckstuhl, Corporate Director, in the Media team at Barclays Corporate.

“Barclays Corporate has been heavily involved in the sector for almost 25 years and has seen the industry change dramatically. The economic crisis has added to the challenges, and with advertising revenues continuing to decline, and more consumers going online to view their favourite TV shows, the industry has had to develop new business models to survive. Sarah’s track record at BBC Worldwide is testament to her strong leadership skills and her ability to effectively manage this period of transition,” continued Ruckstuhl.

Barclays Corporate banks 65% of the top 40 UK independent TV production companies, and works closely with hundreds of producers, directors, actors and crew to finance 40% of all UK film productions.

Ends

For more information please contact:

Kathryn Mills-Webb or Katharine Simon

Babel PR for Barclays Corporate

Tel: +44 (0) 207 434 5550

Email: barclayscorporate@babelpr.com

About WFTV

WFTV (Women in Film and Television) is the premier membership organisation for women working in the film and television industries, with over 10,000 members worldwide. In addition to their annual Awards ceremony, WFTV promotes women in the industry all year round with a programme of masterclasses, screenings, lectures, pitching sessions, panel discussions and networking receptions. They organise industry events at the Cannes, Edinburgh and London Film Festivals, run a mentoring scheme for mid-career women, a Working Party on Gender and Age, take part in research projects, compile Broadcast magazine’s Top 50 Women in Film & TV List, and partner with other key industry organisations to support and celebrate women in film and TV.

About Barclays Corporate

With a clear focus on quality relationships, Barclays Corporate provides integrated banking solutions to businesses with an annual turnover of more than £5 million in the UK and large local companies, financial institutions and multinationals in non-UK markets. We facilitate the success and growth of our clients by providing lending, risk management, cash and liquidity management, trade finance and asset and sales financing. Additionally, our clients benefit from the breadth of the Barclays Group, through access to the investment banking services of Barclays Capital including debt and equity capital markets, the private wealth management expertise of Barclays Wealth, and the card and payment services of Barclaycard. Barclays Corporate employs over 10,000 people globally. For more information please visit www.barclayscorporate.com.

About Barclays

Barclays is a major global financial services provider engaged in retail banking, credit cards, corporate and investment banking and wealth management with an extensive international presence in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia. With over 300 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 50 countries and employs over 145,000 people. Barclays moves, lends, invests and protects money for customers and clients worldwide. For further information about Barclays, please visit our website www.barclays.com.