BBC Worldwide’s Australian sales director Julie Dowding departs

BBC Worldwide’s Australasian sales director Julie Dowding is to depart following a management restructure at the Australian division of the commercial arm of the British broadcaster.

Dowding is widely respected across the Australian/Asia Pacific TV sales industry and has strong relationships with many of the top TV CEOs.

Her departure was announced in an email to staff by acting general manager Blair McQuade who said the BBC new policy of ‘balanced regionalisation’ was behind the changes.

McQuade wrote:

I wanted to let you know that Julie Dowding will be leaving BBC Worldwide, following a review of our leadership structure in Australia. The review has been undertaken to ensure we had the right structure to implement ‘Balanced Regionalisation’ in the territory.

As you know, we have been following slightly behind the rest of BBC Worldwide with plans for Balanced Regionalisation.  However, we are now in a position to re-evaluate the structure of our leadership team in line with changes in the UK. Under the new structure the Director of Sales & Distribution role will no longer exist in a regionally-focused company. This in no way affects the absolute importance that we place on the Sales & Distribution function which will continue to be essential to the success of the business.

BBC Worldwide’s policy of “balance regionalisation” was announced earlier this year and aims to significantly increase revenue while reducing costs in its Australasian territories over the next five years.

Dowding’s role will not be directly replaced under the changes and the sales team will be restructured. BBC Worldwide told Mumbrella the details of these changes would be announced shortly.

In the email announcing Dowding departure McQuade paid tribute to her 25 years with the company and noted how this year alone: “Julie’s team has sold 8-9000 hours of programming and revenue has nearly tripled since 2003/4.”

“Julie is a big personality with a big heart and she will be missed by all of us.  I plan to roll out the full leadership structure next week, which will include plans for the new S&D reporting line.  We are still to confirm a leaving date for Julie,” wrote McQuade.

Dowding did not return Mumbrella requests for comment at the time of publishing.

Nic Christensen