In a major push to optimize key global brands like Bluey and unlock new growth in live entertainment, gaming and education, BBC Studios’ brands and licensing division is forming two distinct global teams.

To oversee this pivot to a more focused global strategy, brands and licensing president Nicki Sheard has been promoted to lead the division as CEO.

In her new role, Sheard will continue to oversee BBC Studios’ global digital brands, new business and data & insights teams. As well, she’ll be looking to spot new growth opportunities across consumer products, live entertainment, gaming and publishing for the Beeb’s most successful brands, including global phenom Bluey.  

In New York, Suzy Raia has been promoted from SVP of consumer products and business development to head up the new global consumer products team as SVP. Her remit in North America and Latin America is also expanding to now include the UK, EMEA, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Raia will be supported in her new role by Murilo Hinojosa (VP of consumer products for LatAm); Kate O’Connor (director of brands and licensing for Australia and New Zealand); and Andrew Carley (director of consumer products for the UK, EMEA and Asia).   

Since joining the company from Nickelodeon in 2018, Raia and her team have locked in more than 50 licensing deals for Bluey, including the blue heeler’s inclusion in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and its Bluey X CAMP retail experience.  

A new addition to Raia’s team is Lee Allentuck as VP of consumer products for North America. Allentuck has a long history as an innovation and inventor relations scout for toy companies including LEGO and Melissa & Doug. His first day was July 29, and he reports directly to Raia. 

Completing the reorg, consumer products and licensing MD Stephen Davies has been upped to spearhead BBC Studios’ newly formed global licensing team. Since joining the company in 2007, Davies has been instrumental in growing its business across live entertainment, publishing and gaming—notably orchestrating the launch of Bluey’s Big Play and two New York Times bestselling Bluey book releases from Penguin Random House.

Both Davies and Raia report directly to Sheard.

This restructure comes during a tumultuous transitional period at the BBC, which recently announced in its annual report that it plans to cut 500 public-service roles by 2026.

But despite a BBC Studios sales decline from US$2.7 billion to US$2.4 billion in fiscal 2023/2024, the company is still on target to double its commercial business by 2027/2028, citing Bluey’s global licensing growth as key to its long-term plans.

In other BBC Studios moves, Brazilian executive Paula Teruko has been promoted from director of content sales for the LatAm and US Hispanic market to senior director of content sales and co-productions for those same territories. Based in Sao Paulo, Teruko reports to Sandra Murphy, VP of content sales and coproductions for Canada and Latin America. In her new role, Teruko will oversee the LatAm distribution of BBC Studios’ catalogue, including its kids content, as well as new and existing acquisition and co-production partnerships with regional clients. 

(Pictured clockwise from top left: Suzy Raia, Nicki Sheard, Lee Allentuck, Stephen Davies)