New York, NY June 18, 2015 – The British Academy of Film and Television Arts New York (BAFTA New York) has announced today that Luke Parker Bowles has been elected to serve as Chairman of the Board of BAFTA New York. Parker Bowles, an established film industry executive in both the United Kingdom and the United States, who previously served as Vice Chairman, is the Head of Production at Story Mining & Supply Co. He has also served as an executive at companies including Working Title Films, Open Road Integrated Media and Hart Sharp Entertainment.
Also elected to serve on the board for three years are Arianna Bocco, Senior Vice President, Acquisitions and Production, IFC Films and Sundance Selects, Lyn Familant, Consultant, and Sara Kozak, Senior Vice President, Head of Production, Investigation Discovery and American Heroes Channel. Incumbent member Douglas Schwalbe was re-elected to the Board, Matthew Kearney will assume the role of Treasurer, and Charles Tremayne, having served his two year term, will step down to the position of Vice Chairman for a one-year period. BAFTA New York’s new board term begins on July 1, 2015.
“I am delighted that Luke has been elected Chairman of BAFTA New York,” said Charles Tremayne, outgoing BAFTA New York Chairman. “He has done fantastic work on the Film Committee and establishing the popular ‘In Conversation’ series. He has an exciting vision for the future of BAFTA New York, which I know he will achieve.”
“BAFTA New York is crucial in bridging London and New York’s thriving film and television communities,” said Parker Bowles. “I am honored to assume this position and look forward to working closely with the our new CEO and COO as well as our board in building on the incredible foundation that Charles has created. Genuinely exciting times ahead.”
In his first year, Parker Bowles championed the high-profile ‘In Conversation’ series of live, intimate interviews with notable British talent, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne, Keira Knightley and Hugh Dancy, that explores their career achievements and provides an inside look at what it takes to become and remain a top-notch artist. His credits include Chris and Paul Weitz’s About a Boy, Beeban Kidron’s Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Joe Wright’s Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Richard Curtis’s Love Actually and Lajos Koltai’s Evening. Parker Bowles serves as a Director of The Montclair Film Festival and is a member of both the Pilgrims and the St. George Society.
Parker Bowles, Bocco, Familant and Kozak join the following members of BAFTA New York’s Board of Directors:
Vernon Chu, General Counsel, BBC Worldwide Americas;
Patrick Connolly, Vice President, Programming and Scheduling, AMC/Sundance Channel Global;
Linda Kahn, President, Linda Kahn Media, LLC;
Matthew Kearney, Executive Chairman, Talent Partners;
Susan Margolin, President, Docurama and Special Acquisitions, Cinedigm Entertainment Group;
Dee Poku, Co-founder and CEO of WIE Network
Celine Rattray, President, Maven Pictures;
Douglas Schwalbe, Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Production and Program Sales, DreamWorks Classics;
Molly Thompson, Senior Vice President, Feature Films, A+E Studios;
Charles Tremayne, President of Production, Cineflix Productions; and
Maria Zuckerman, Vice President of Production and Development, HBO Films.
