BBC Worldwide ANZ has hired Dustin Lockett as its commercial director. Lockett is currently the director of Red Live Events & Touring, a Seven West Media group company, and will begin his new role in November.
Lockett will be responsible for live events and entertainment, consumer products, home entertainment and related brand licensing revenue streams at the Beeb.
This includes working with global brands, including Doctor Who, Sherlock and BBC Earth. His role involves growing BBC Worldwide’s brands off screen, such as the recent Doctor Who Festival and upcoming Louis Theroux Live On Stage tour.
Lockett will work alongside BBC Worldwide ANZ managing director Jon Penn and the executive leadership team.
“Dustin has the experience and entrepreneurial flair to build our new areas of business and maximise the commercial value of our brands. He has worked on some of the biggest events in Australia, across the spectrum of commercial development, and I am delighted that he will be joining us to help deliver this strategic priority,” Penn says.
Aside from leading the live events division at Seven West Media, Lockett has worked as VP of live events at FremantleMedia, including working on Launching MasterChef and Grand Designs Live, and has been director of sales and marketing at Wonderland Sydney, director of business development at NIDA and QLD sales and marketing manager for IMG.
In July BBC Worldwide posted solid sales growth across Australia and New Zealand on the back of its first full year on Foxtel and Fetch TV as well as an increase in sponsorship. Last year it also launched a global content marketing team, BBC StoryWorks, in Sydney.
Part of its strategy has been a growing focus on BBC's live entertainment offering. In the past year, Australia hosted its first official Doctor Who Festival, as well as YouTube stars Joe Sugg and Caspar Lee and wildlife presenter Steve Backshall presenting sell-out tours. The BBC Proms also arrived on these shores with performances in Melbourne in April.
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