SPE’s Marsh new BASE Chair
February 9, 2021
By Colin Mann
The British Association for Screen Entertainment (BASE), the body which represents the interests of publishers and rights-owners of pre-recorded filmed entertainment, has appointed Rob Marsh, Vice President Commercial (Home Entertainment) at Sony Pictures Entertainment, as the organisation’s new Chair announced with immediate effect.
Marsh, who joined BASE Council in 2019, will serve as Chair alongside existing Co-Vice Chairs, BBC Studios’ Home Entertainment Director Lesley Johnson, and Elevation Sales’ Managing Director Kevin Dersley.
Joe Braman, Vice President, International Account Management at NBC Universal, Ruth Sharp, VP & Head of Digital Distribution, Warner Media UK & Ireland, and Sima Westley, Executive Director, Sales & Retail Marketing, Warner Bros. Entertainment also join BASE Council for 2021, bringing their experience to a group that truly represents the diversity of the home entertainment category.
With voices representing major studios such as Disney, through to independent distributors such as StudioCanal or Lionsgate, and children’s and TV brands such as Mattel or BBC Studios, and third-party distributors via Spirit, BASE says the refreshed BASE Council is ideally positioned to drive a meaningful, ambitious roster of activity throughout 2021 and beyond.
“I am honoured to have been appointed as the new BASE Chair and am excited to get to work to advance the bold agenda that Council, working through Liz Bales and the team at BASE, has set out to deliver,” declared Marsh. “Although we would all agree to never having experienced a year like 2020, there is much to be optimistic about and it is a pro-active approach to the opportunities available to us – be they in digital transactional, the performance of premium formats, or the resilience of the TV sector – that will most readily bear fruit and optimise the category at large to drive continued engagement and growth.”
“That pro-activity means ensuring that the category remains front and centre with retail partners and consumers. It means ensuring that opportunities for and engagement with digital and physical media are maximised and that members have access to market insights and consumer analysis needed to shape the conversation. Perhaps most crucially of all, it means that BASE and its members maintain the thoughtfulness, agility and adaptability needed as the category undoubtedly continues to evolve.”
“Rob alludes to the ambitious plans that are in place to drive continued engagement and growth,” added Liz Bales, BASE CEO. “Across BASE Council and the wider BASE team, we feel his commercial, insight-led approach, coupled with his unfettered passion for the category, makes him a perfect fit when it comes to stepping up to help drive those plans. Rob’s presence since joining Council has been instrumental in driving key projects to successful outcomes and energising robust discussion on the issues that matter.”
“2021 will undoubtedly see further category evolution and BASE is well-structured to find the opportunities in that change, especially with the support of the pro-active leadership group that is 2021’s BASE Council, and with the consistent input of our wider members, all of which shapes our future vision alongside our in-year priorities. As well as welcoming Rob to the position of Chair, we invite any industry colleagues not already doing so to join the conversation with BASE and explore the opportunities to support growth across the category.”
BASE COUNCIL
Rob Marsh, Sony Pictures Entertainment (Chair)
Kevin Dersley, Elevation Sales (Co-Vice Chair)
Lesley Johnson, BBC Studios (Co-Vice Chair)
Liz Bales (CEO, BASE)
Marie-Claire Benson, Lionsgate
Joe Braman, NBC Universal
Rob Callow, Spirit Entertainment
Matt Cherry, Mattel
Dean Pappadakis, The Walt Disney Company
John Rodden, StudioCanal
Ruth Sharp, Warner Media UK & Ireland
Sima Westley, Warner Bros. Entertainment