Marinella Soldi announced as member of BBC Commercial Board

Marinella Soldi has been appointed as a non-executive director of the BBC’s Commercial Board, from 1 September 2024, having joined the BBC as a director of the main Group Board in September 2023. Commercial Board directors are appointed by the BBC Board on the recommendation of the Nominations Committee, which includes Dr. Samir Shah, BBC Chair, and Sir Damon Buffini, Chair of the Commercial Board.

Alongside Damon Buffini, she will be the second non-executive member who sits on both the BBC Board and the Commercial Board, bolstering the link between the ambitions of the whole BBC and its commercial subsidiaries.

Born in Italy and raised and educated in London, Marinella held senior roles in London and Milan at MTV Networks Europe before joining Discovery, where she served as CEO of Discovery Networks Southern Europe for 10 years until October 2018, transforming its business model from linear to a diversified multiplatform portfolio. She has a BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and an MBA from INSEAD. Most recently, she has acted as the non-executive Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Rai, the Italian PSB.The appointment fills a vacancy following the departure of former Member for Wales and Acting Chair, Elan Closs Stephens, who stepped down from the Commercial Board last year.

Samir Shah, BBC Chairman praised the exec: “Marinella Soldi has significant global experience in a wide range of different markets alongside a deep understanding of the challenges faced by public service broadcasters. Her additional contribution as a non-executive director on the Commercial Board will be invaluable," stated.

Damon Buffini, Chair of the Commercial Board and Deputy Chair of the BBC showed enthusiasm to work with Soldi: “I look forward to working with Marinella in our unique position across both Boards. She joins at a critical and exciting time for the BBC’s commercial operations, as we continue to deliver sustained returns to the BBC through our ambitious growth strategy," added.

The BBC Commercial Board oversees the delivery of the Corporation’s commercial ambitions. It reports to the BBC Board on the delivery of BBC Studios’ objectives, in line with the BBC’s overall commercial strategy.It comprises a majority of eight non-executive members alongside up to three executives, with appointments made by the Group Board.