Robert Schildhouse Named President, BritBox North America

Robert Schildhouse
Robert Schildhouse (Image credit: BritBox)

BBC Studios named Robert Schildhouse as president of BritBox North America and general manager of BritBox International, new posts at the company, effective April 1.

The new positions, part of leadership changes at the streaming service, expand Schildhouse’s role at the streaming service. Based in New York, he had  most recently been general manager, North America, and group editorial for Britbox International.

Kerry Ball will continue in her role as BritBox’s chief commercial & strategy Officer based in London. Schildhouse and Ball will now both report to Rebecca Glashow, CEO, BBC Global Media & Streaming. 

Also Read: BritBox Claims More Than 3.4 Million Streaming Subs

The moves follow BBC Studios agreeing to buy ITV’s 50% stake in BritBox earlier this month for about $322 million.  BritBox International CEO Reemah Sakaan is set to leave once the transition period has ended. 

"Robert's commitment, creativity and passion for the business make him the optimal leader to drive the continued success of BritBox and I’m looking forward to working with him," said Glashow. "With Robert’s deep understanding of the streaming landscape, combined with our world-class leadership team and staff, BritBox is poised for an exciting next phase of growth in the BBC portfolio."

Schildhouse joined BritBox in 2022.  He had been chief content officer for Airtime. Before that he was executive VP, business development with CBS Global Distribution Group and co–head, content at Hulu.

“I am thrilled to take on this expanded role at such a pivotal moment for BritBox International. We have had an incredible year of growth and are uniquely positioned to solidify our standing as the premier destination for delivering quality British content to our loyal and expanding subscriber base,” said Schildhouse. “Great stories can come from anywhere, and we remain committed to curating premium content from the deep and varied creative community across the UK, including ITV, independent producers and from within BBC Studios.”

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.