BBC Studios Revamps Consumer Products and Licensing Business

BBC Studios Brands & Licensing has announced the appointment of Nicki Sheard as chief executive officer, brands and licensing as the BBC Studios division sets a new global approach to its consumer product and licensing business, with the creation of two distinct global teams. The new setup will allow the creation of a global center of excellence for consumer product activities and a deeper focus on high-potential licensing opportunities. This follows the success for BBC Studios’ properties, including “Bluey.”   

Suzy Raia, senior vice president of global consumer products, will lead global consumer products from New York. In London, Stephen Davies, now senior vice president of global licensing, will oversee the newly created global licensing team. They will both report to Nicki Sheard, chief executive officer, brands and licensing.   

The BBC Studios Brands & Licensing division is the driving force in extending BBC Studios IP through innovative brand extensions, fostering deep fan engagement worldwide. Sheard will continue to lead BBC Studios future-facing ventures, overseeing the global digital brands, new business and data and insights teams and helping BBC Studios identify new opportunities for growth for its portfolio spanning consumer products, live entertainment, gaming and publishing across a global IP slate, including “Bluey,” “Doctor Who,” “Strictly Come Dancing”/“Dancing With the Stars,” “Top Gear” and “BBC Earth.”  

Raia has been responsible for a number of BBC Studios’ key partnerships for “Bluey” in North America, notably Macy’s for its Thanksgiving Day Parade and more recently Bluey x CAMP. Her team has also secured over 50 licensing deals that have positioned “Bluey” to become a leading preschool franchise across the retail landscape in the U.S.    

In addition to North America and LatAm, Raia’s remit will now include the U.K., EMEA, Asia and ANZ with the support of Murilo Hinojosa, vice president, consumer products, LatAm; Kate O’Connor, director of brands and licensing, ANZ and Andrew Carley, director, consumer products, U.K., EMEA and Asia. BBC Studios also welcomes Lee Allentuck who joins the global consumer products team in New York as vice president, consumer products, North America, to complete the consumer products leadership team.

Stephen Davies, Lee Allentuck, BBC Studios

Allentuck joins BBC Studios with nearly two decades of experience in the toy and game industry. As an innovation and inventor relations scout for toy and game companies like Blue Marble, Melissa & Doug and LEGO, he was responsible for identifying and developing new technologies and innovative solutions to meet clients’ changing needs and exploring new ways to drive growth. Allentuck joined on July 29 and reports to Raia.   

Stephen Davies joined BBC Studios in 2007 and became managing director, consumer products licensing, in 2019. He has overseen many of the team’s recent successes across categories, including live entertainment, publishing and gaming, as well as the launches of BBC Earth Live Experience in London and Melbourne, “Bluey’s Big Play.” This new remit will allow a strengthened focus on strong growth areas for BBC Studios such as live, gaming and education establishing a new team dedicated to the rich, growing archive.   

“I’m grateful for the continued opportunity to oversee such a dynamic and growing part of our industry, and I’m excited to see the benefits of this shift,” says Sheard. “Having two distinct global teams for consumer products and licensing will allow us to drive a global approach for our activities and in return maximize growth for our key brands with global appeal such as ‘Bluey’ and ‘Doctor Who.’ This will also help increase our focus on key areas where we see potential, giving us an opportunity to find fresh ways to link new areas of the business, innovative in how we engage with our audiences. I’m thrilled to see Suzy and Stephen take on these expanded roles, and I’m looking forward to seeing our brands thrive even more in this improved setup.”   

“I am both honored and humbled by this momentous opportunity to lead our global consumer products team,” says Raia. “This is a pivotal moment for us, and with Nicki’s leadership and the support of the incredible teams across the regions, I look forward to building on our successes and driving innovative strategies to elevate our brands in service of our fans around the world.”  

“I am thrilled to be leading a newly focused global licensing business,” says Davies. “There are so many opportunities to unlock across such exciting business sectors as gaming, education and live entertainment, and the archive presents us with a treasure trove of wonderful content to bring to audiences across the world in all sorts of ways. I cannot wait to get stuck into the next phase of our growth journey.”   

“I am incredibly honored and excited to join BBC Studios, an organization renowned for its iconic brands and properties such as ‘Bluey,’ ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘Planet Earth,’” says Allentuck. “BBC’s values of excellence and education aligns perfectly with my own commitment to STEM learning and developing innovative play, and I am thrilled to bring that passion for innovation and creativity to the BBC and joining this amazingly talented team.”