• Screen Australia has upped its production offset and co-production unit senior manager Michele McDonald (pictured alongside Peter Rabbit) into a newly created POCU advisor role. Her expanded remit now includes informing, counseling and educating producers on how to access Australia’s co-production programs, and she’ll also continue to manage these programs and the daily operations of the offset and co-production unit.

• ABC Commercial has appointed ex-BBC Studios executive Simon Lopez as its new strategy and business development lead. Prior to joining the Australian public broadcaster, Lopez headed up business strategy for BBC in Australia and New Zealand for two years (2022 to 2024), and he has also held executive strategy roles at NBN Australia and BAI Communications.

• Northern Pictures has tapped former Matchbox Pictures COO Matt Vitins to take the reins from Peter Anderson as the studio’s managing director on April 28. Anderson is stepping down after seven years, but will remain with the company in a part-time advisory role. Northern is best known in the kids entertainment space for its 2019 live-action drama series Hardball (23 x 30 minutes).

Feature image credited to Screen Australia