BAFTA chief executive Amanda Berry OBE has announced that she intends to step down from her role in the autumn of 2023 – after 25 years at the arts charity. BAFTA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Price will leave in September 2022, after 20 years working alongside Amanda.
Amanda Berry OBE, BAFTA chief executive said: “In 2023 I will have been at BAFTA for 25 years. When I first joined BAFTA I honestly thought I would stay for three or four years, but my passion, dreams and ambition for the organisation just kept growing. As we approach BAFTA’s 75th anniversary next year I have reflected on what I, Kevin and the truly brilliant team at BAFTA have achieved, and it feels like the right time to plan to pass on the mask.
It has been an absolute honour to have led BAFTA. We are the only global arts charity representing film, games and television, and I am incredibly proud of our work enabling talented people from all backgrounds to progress their careers in these industries, as well as our ability to reach and inspire global audiences with our awards ceremonies, events and content.
The formal re-opening of our redeveloped HQ at 195 Piccadilly next year is a landmark moment, and one of the biggest in BAFTA’s history. This new creative hub and centre of excellence will enable a further dramatic expansion of our learning and talent programme, pivotal to BAFTA’s charitable remit.
I would like to sincerely thank all the amazing people who have tirelessly supported us over many years, including the BAFTA team, Chairs, Boards, and Committees past and present, our members, the film, games and television industries, and our partners and donors who have believed in us and our vision.
All this couldn’t have been possible without Kevin Price who, as COO, has been on the BAFTA journey with me for 20 years and has helped me realise all those ambitions for the organisation. Over the coming months I will oversee the recruitment process to replace Kevin when he leaves next autumn, and the Board will begin their process to appoint my successor the following year.”
Krishnendu Majumdar, BAFTA chair said: “Amanda has been a loyal and outstanding Chief Executive of BAFTA for over 23 years. Under her leadership she has cemented BAFTA’s annual Film Awards ceremony as one of the most important and credible film industry occasions in the world. Her passion for supporting talent and her steadfast belief that ‘talent is everywhere but opportunity is not’ is evident in the huge expansion of BAFTA’s year-round global learning and talent development programme. From creating the ‘Brits to Watch’ in 2011 which has gone on to become the globally recognised talent initiative Breakthrough, to the well over 200 learning and new talent events that BAFTA delivers every year, Amanda has ensured BAFTA’s purpose has stayed at the heart of the organisation. When she steps down in 2023 she will leave a very different organisation to the one she joined in 1998 and when the time comes I will be the first to wish her continued success.”
“Kevin has been BAFTA’s COO for the past 20 years, working closely with Amanda and more recently myself. He has been instrumental in overseeing the business, governance and operational strategies that enable BAFTA to deliver against its charitable remit. Kevin has provided essential strategic oversight for the £34m redevelopment of 195 Piccadilly, a project that spans 12 years from inception to delivery, expertly stewarding and ensuring on-time delivery of an incredibly complex project that also took place during the worldwide pandemic. He was also responsible for bringing albert into BAFTA in 2011 and he has been Chair of the BAFTA albert consortium for the past 10 years, making environmental sustainability a key part of BAFTA’s industry activity. He will leave BAFTA in an excellent position for future growth and I want to thank him for his loyal contribution to BAFTA’s success.
Amanda and Kevin restructured the senior team earlier this year, putting in place a strong and experienced executive team. I’d like to thank them both for sharing their plans this far in advance, enabling the Board and me to undertake a comprehensive recruitment process in a timely way.”
Kevin Price, BAFTA COO said: “With the reopening of a new 195 Piccadilly next year, I believe we are beginning a new phase in BAFTA’s historical journey. We shall look back at the 2000s, 2010s and the early 2020s as the ‘Berry years’ and I feel privileged to have been part of that journey. After 20 years working with Amanda, I believe now is the right time for me to pursue other interests across the arts and cultural sector. I will be incredibly proud to leave BAFTA in a strong position with great potential for further growth, and to allow a successor to help lead this Great British Institution through its next era.”
Barbara Broccoli OBE, BAFTA vice president for film, said: “Throughout her tenure, Amanda has ensured BAFTA has continued to evolve and reflect the many changes in the screen industries. She will leave BAFTA with an incredible legacy, having successfully delivered its most ambitious project to date, the redevelopment of 195 Piccadilly and the dramatic expansion of BAFTA’s learning and talent programme. Those who know Amanda will attest to her determination in spearheading the fundraising campaign to make this happen. This investment in the next generation of talent is pivotal to BAFTA’s charitable remit and will continue Amanda’s legacy for years to come.”
Dame Pippa Harris, BAFTA vice president for television added: “Amanda has grown BAFTA into a unique and world-leading arts organisation that supports thousands of talented individuals at the start of their careers in film, games and television. Kevin has been responsible for many of BAFTA’s successes too, from the turnaround of the hospitality business at 195 Piccadilly as a vital income generator for BAFTA’s charitable activity, to most recently creating a single BAFTA operation in North America and paving the way for future growth opportunities. BAFTA’s 75th year will be a fitting moment to reflect on all that they have both achieved.”
