BAFTA New York Announces New Board of Directors

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts New York, (BAFTA New York), announced today the results of its recent election. Luke Parker Bowles, Executive Vice President of Production for Open Road Integrated Media, was voted Vice Chairman by the Board of Directors. In the general election Dee Poku, Co-Founder and CEO of WIE Network, was elected to serve a three-year stint on the Board, and four incumbent board members Vernon Chu, Patrick Connolly, Matthew Kearney and Susan Margolin won re-election. Charles Tremayne will continue as Chairman of the Board, Jeff Cotugno remains as Treasurer and Vernon Chu will stay as Secretary. BAFTA New York's new board term begins on July 14, 2014.

"Luke has been an avid supporter of BAFTA New York and our mission since joining the board last year and is a valued member of the team," said Charles Tremayne, Chairman, BAFTA New York. "His commitment to promoting the work of British producers, directors and actors in the US is exemplary and I am proud to have him serve as my Vice Chairman of the Board."
Tremayne continues: "Dee brings a wealth of experience in the media industry as a marketer and philanthropic strategist, as well as the insights that come from leading a successful organization. We are delighted that she is joining our board of directors and I am looking forward to another wonderful term with all of the board members."

Mr. Parker Bowles is responsible for bringing to BAFTA New York the high-profile initiative "In Conversation," a series of live interviews with notable British actors, directors, screenwriters and producers that explores their career achievements and provides an inside look at what it takes to become and remain a top-notch artist. The series began in February 2014 and has hosted evenings with Benedict Cumberbatch (Star Trek Into Darkness, "Sherlock") and Hugh Dancy ("Hannibal," Hysteria). "In Conversation" is part of the Standard Talks program, a series of talks taking place across all The Standard Hotels in New York, Los Angeles and Miami. At Open Road's Digital Entertainment division, Mr. Parker Bowles oversees and manages a worldwide team of filmmakers who interview Open Road authors and their families, colleagues, and friends to create documentary film shorts. An established film industry executive in both the United Kingdom and the United States, Mr. Parker Bowles has developed and managed a diverse slate of films for both major studios and independent film companies, including Working Title Films, Hart Sharp Entertainment, and Sharp Independent at HarperCollins. His film credits includes: 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, and Richard Curtis's Love Actually. Mr. Parker Bowles is on the advisory board of the Hamptons International Film Festival and the Montclair Film Festival. He is a contributor to the Daily Beast, and is a member of the Pilgrims Society and the St. George Society.

Luke Parker Bowles said: "BAFTA is a remarkable organization and it has been a tremendous honour to be a part of the global team over The Past several years. I am excited to take on this new role and work with the organization's great executive committee and the dynamite board in celebrating British talent on this side of the Atlantic through BAFTA's trademark current and future initiatives."

Ms. Poku's WIE Network, is a dynamic conference and community aimed at empowering the next generation of women leaders. The annual WIE Symposium has attracted notable speakers such as Donna Karan, Arianna Huffington, Queen Rania, Melinda Gates, Diane von Furstenberg, Nancy Pelosi, Jill Biden, Aerin Lauder, Ted Turner, Lauren Bush, Christy Turlington, Iman and Nora Ephron. ?A former Hollywood studio executive, Ms. Poku's background includes senior marketing roles at Paramount Pictures and Focus Features. She oversaw the release campaigns for the likes of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth; the Coen brothers' No Country For Old Men; Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation, Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babe' and Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain.? Other roles include Head of Marketing and Publicity at leading UK film company, Momentum Pictures, where she handled the campaigns for Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine and the Coen brothers' O Brother Where Art Thou amongst others. In addition, Ms. Poku is also the founder of Right Angle, a marketing consultancy that develops innovative campaigns for a cross section of films, non-profits and consumer brands. Clients have ranged from Crème de la Mer and Bobbi Brown to Lionsgate Entertainment to the non-profits World Vision and Women for Women Intl.

Dee Poku said: "I've been a member of BAFTA for a very long time and it's truly an honor to join the board of an organization that has only served to increase my knowledge of and appreciation for the art of film and television over the years. British films and filmmakers are among the best on earth and I plan to share that Passion with the rest of the world."

BAFTA New York's Board of Directors includes the following members:
Charles Tremayne, President, Production, Cineflix Productions;
Luke Parker Bowles, Executive Vice President of Production, Open Road Integrated Media Inc.;
Jeff Cotugno, Chief Operating Officer, DLT Entertainment;
Vernon Chu, General Counsel, BBC Worldwide Americas;
Liza Burnett Fefferman, Executive Vice President, Publicity for RADiUS-TWC;
Patrick Connolly, Vice President, Programming and Scheduling, AMC/Sundance Channel Global;
Linda Kahn, President, Linda Kahn Media, LLC;
Meryl Katz, Events and Awards consultant for Paramount Pictures;
Matthew Kearney, Executive Chairman, Talent Partners;
Susan Margolin, President, Docurama and Special Acquisitions, Cinedigm Entertainment Group;
Celine Rattray, President, Maven Pictures;
Doug Schwalbe, Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Production and Program Sales, Dreamworks Classics;
Molly Thompson, Senior Vice President, Feature Films, A+E Studios; and
Maria Zuckerman, Vice President of Production and Development, HBO Films.

About BAFTA New York
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts represents 6500 industry professionals working in film, television, and games worldwide. The organization supports, develops, and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners, and benefiting the public.

BAFTA New York (www.bafta.org/newyork/) carries the Academy's mission forward on the Atlantic coast through its commitment to the film, television and documentary communities. Its activities include screenings, "In Conversation" series, master classes, Q&As and panels focusing on industry trends in film, television and multimedia. BAFTA New York's educational outreach is aimed at underserved youth in New York City and includes the BAFTA New York Media Studies Scholarship Program, which was established to support students pursuing media studies at undergraduate and graduate level institutions within the New York City area. www.bafta.org/newyork. Follow BAFTA New York on Twitter @BAFTANY (www.twitter.com/baftany) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/baftany).

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