Film London is pleased to announce four new members joining its Board of Directors: Helen Burnill, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing, Mediatonic Ltd; Saurabh Kakkar, Executive Producer at Big Talk Productions; Nicola Pearcey, President and European President across Strategy and Ops; Lila Rawlings, Executive Production, Drama and Film at Left Bank Pictures.

Holding the most senior positions in their industry professions, the new board members boast specific expertise in distribution, broadcast, artists’ moving image, and diversity and inclusion.

The new board members, whose roles include responsibility as charity trustees, will replace outgoing members Ian George, Anna Higgs, Angela Jain and Andy Payne who have all completed their tenures on Film London’s board.

Helen Burnill serves Mediatonic, Ltd (Gears POP!, Hatoful Boyfriend, Fall Guys) as the vice president of business development and marketing. Burnill has helped shape and steer the company from an independent studio of 40 developers in the United Kingdom to a 250-strong international organization. Listed as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Women in the industry by GamesIndustry.biz, she also holds a seat on the board of the UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE) trade body and was awarded the MCV businesswoman of the year accolade in 2018.

Saurabh Kakkar is a senior broadcast television executive, having been an Executive Producer at Big Talk since September 2014. In that time and his previous roles as Head of Development at BBC Comedy Productions and Creative Director of Comedy at ITV Studios, Saurabh has developed and produced an extensive and impressive portfolio including Defending The Guilty, Timewasters and The Goes Wrong Show. Saurabh has been on the board of Creative Access for six years, and Chair for the past two, overseeing the placement of over 1600 BAME candidates in the creative industries and working with hundreds of media partners.

Nicola Pearcey is President for the UK and also overseas Strategy and Operations across EMEA. Nicola is responsible for the company’s strategy and its people across film, TV and all areas of business alongside CEO Zygi Kamasa. Nicola views the development, acquisition and distribution of content throughout the business being as vital as the people on board, both internally and externally. Nicola began her career at Johnson and Johnson, famed for its “people first” credo. She started her media career working in marketing on the James Bond franchise at MGM pictures, then enjoying predominantly sales led roles at Walt Disney (franchises including Pixar, Disney and Miramax) before moving to Lionsgate in 2006.

Lila Rawlings is part of Executive Production, Drama and Film at Left Bank Pictures. As a freelance Script Consultant, Lila advises and consults for a number of financiers including British Film Institute, iFeatures and Film London as well as a variety of established producers and production companies. Previously Development Executive at Film4, Head of Development for Drama and Film at Century Films, and Head of Development at Dakota Films, Lila has worked on titles such as Steve McQueen’s Shame, Andrea Arnold’s Wuthering Heights and Clio Barnard’s The Selfish Giant as well as producing for companies such as Amazon and Channel 4.

Lila’s previous commitments to Film London include being a jury member for the inaugural Film London Lodestars 2019, as well as previously working with Film London alumnus Tom Harper, whose feature film The Aeronauts screened at this year’s Mayor’s Gala at the BFI London Film Festival, supported by Film London. Lila is also an advocate for artists’ moving image, complementing the work of the Film London Artists’ Moving Image Network, and the recent announcement of the 12th Film London Jarman Award Winner.

Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission said:

“It is wonderful to be welcoming four such talented individuals to join Film London as board members and charity trustees. Their skill and expertise in each of their particular areas of the creative industries and the insight they bring will put us in the best possible position to ensure we can continue to develop a pioneering creative culture in the capital, driving London forward as a world-class production hub across the screen industries. I owe an enormous gratitude to our outgoing members, whose talent, energy and commitment has helped us continue to go from strength to strength.”

Film London’s full list of Board of Directors is:

• Geraldine Atlee, Head of Legal and Business Affairs, BBC Films
• Daniel Battsek (Chairman), Head of Film4
• Helen Burnhill, VP Business Development and Marketing, Mediatonic
• Judith Chan, Executive Director, Coutts & Co
• John Graydon, Head of Film and TV, Saffery Champness
• Jeffrey Jacobs, recently Chief Officer, Greater London Authority
• Saurabh Kakkar, Executive Producer, Big Talk Productions
• Andrea Lissoni, Senior Curator International Art (Film) at Tate Modern
• Amanda Parker, industry communications specialist
• Nicola Pearcey, President UK & President EMEA Strategy & Ops
• Lila Rawlings, Executive Producer, Drama and Film, Left Bank Pictures
• Allon Reich, DNA Films and TV Producer
• Iain Smith OBE, producer and Chair, British Film Commission
• Frances Trought, former Deputy Vice Principal (Student Talent Development) at Pearson College, London and the Founder of Everything D & I Ltd
• Jezz Vernon, Managing Director of Metrodome Group UK’s Film Distribution and International Sales Arms
• Tyrone Walker-Hebborn, owner, Genesis Cinema

Head to the Board of Directors page for more information and individual biographies.