London, Monday 19 July 2021:  The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has today announced the newly elected Chairs and Deputy Chairs of its Film, Games and Television Committees. The Chairs of the Committees will also sit on BAFTA’s Board of Trustees.

Anna Higgs has been elected as Chair of the Film Committee, having held the position of Deputy Chair for two years. Anna will serve alongside Alexandra Derbyshire, who has been elected Deputy Chair.

Sara Putt has been elected as Chair of the Television Committee, having served as Deputy Chair of the Television Committee and previously the Chair of the LIT (Learning, Inclusion and Talent) Committee. Nicky Sargent has been elected Deputy Chair of the Television Committee.

Dr Jo Twist will continue as Chair of the Games Committee until 2022, serving alongside Des Gayle who has been elected Deputy Chair of Games.

Krishnendu Majumdar continues as Chair of BAFTA, with Sara Putt who has been recently appointed by the Board as Deputy Chair of BAFTA.  Sara will serve for the next twelve months before a new Deputy Chair of BAFTA is appointed in summer 2022 to serve a year before succeeding Krishnendu at the end of his three-year term as Chair.

Krishnendu Majumdar, BAFTA Chair said: “I’m delighted to welcome Anna and Sara as the new Chairs of the Film and TV Committees, and am thrilled to also be working closely with Sara in her new role as Deputy Chair of BAFTA.  Sara brings with her a wealth of industry and charity experience and is working with me as part of the cross industry group looking to address the serious issue of bullying and harassment in our industries.

“Together with Jo who continues as Chair of our Games committee, all our Chairs and members of the Film, Games and Television committees are absolutely at the heart of BAFTA.  As volunteers they lend their time and expertise to enable BAFTA to support and nurture talented people from across our industries to help them develop and succeed in their careers, and I thank each and everyone one of them for all that they do.”

All Sector Committee chairs are directors of BAFTA, and sit on the Board of Trustees.

BAFTA’s Board of Trustees for 2021 – 2022 comprises:

  • Chair of BAFTA: Krishnendu Majumdar
  • Deputy Chair of BAFTA, and Chair, Television Committee: Sara Putt
  • Chair, Film Committee: Anna Higgs
  • Chair, Games Committee: Dr Jo Twist
  • Chair, Learning, Inclusion and Talent Committee: Ade Rawcliffe
  • Chair, Commercial Committee: Bal Samra1
  • Chair, Finance, Audit and Risk Committee: Paul Taiano OBE1
  • Chair, BAFTA North America1
  • Deputy Chair, BAFTA North America1
  • Four further co-opted positions to be selected over the summer

1denotes co-opted position

A full list of Sector Committee and Board of Trustee members can be found at www.bafta.org/about/key-personnel


Press contact: 

Nick Williams, BAFTA Press Office, 020 7292 5863, [email protected]

Notes to editors

BAFTA’s Sector Committees recommend to the Board of Trustees how best to carry out BAFTA’s mission in their respective industry sectors, while the Board itself manages the business of BAFTA and is the ultimate authority on its affairs.

Sara Putt is the first Deputy Chair of BAFTA to be appointed by the Board under new governance arrangements introduced by BAFTA after a review of governance arrangements by Deloitte in 2019.