Page 30 - 09_Bafta ACADEMY_Ali G_ok

Inside 195 Piccadilly
When I first met Amanda Berry last October, she explained that the issue for BAFTA was not lack of opportunity but too much opportunity. Three months into my new career as BAFTA’s Director of Finance and Administration, I can certainly see what Amanda meant.
This wonderful organisation, with which all of us who are connect- ed hold so much pride and puzzle- ment - normally in equal measure - is in my view on the verge of a period of sensible but exciting growth. In every department I have reviewed, potential is just waiting to be nur- tured or developed.
The only exception is with our programme of Awards ceremonies which Amanda herself grasped a couple of years ago and look how they’ve blos- somed! And this following a decade of uncertainty and financial hardship where the supreme efforts of a few ensured that BAFTA not only made it to the 21st century but entered it with optimism.
BAFTA is perfectly placed to reach out to the majority of those who work in its industries. It is the body that can assist, advise, update and educate throughout a demanding career. It is also perfectly placed to offer a networking and exclusive social environment to its industries which is different and perhaps more exclusive than one would find in Soho.
It is perfectly placed to use its first class team of administrative
staff, the wealth of brilliance and experience to be found in its non- executive direc-
tors, its brand and reputation to grow
its existing busi- nesses and launch and develop per-
haps three or four new business streams.
These would not only include a fuller range of services and pro- grammes for its members in London and its three UK branches, but for members and the general public throughout Britain and to film, televi-
ment and per- haps leadership of our charity from our com- merce and we must define prop- erly our objec- tives for mem- bers and the role 195 Piccadilly will
play in BAFTA’s future activity. This is the big picture
of what I have come into at BAFTA.
More specifical-
ly, there has been a
rather long list of
jobs to get on with
as BAFTA’s new
finance man. Under
the “main jobs”
heading I have been
working on the
short-term issues
for the future of 195,
including the search
for third-party fund-
ing and creation of much needed staff accommodation, broadening our financial reporting, securing a new headline sponsor for our fastest growing Awards (Interactive), under- standing and defining our corporate hire business, identifying short-term new business opportunities, advising on constitutional issues and begin- ning to raise the profile of the work and activity of BAFTA branches.
Under “not quite so main jobs” I am tackling some important employ- ment housekeeping issues, website development, a little on IT systems,
services to 195 and a business plan for the 10 BAFTA plasma screens (the plan would be
enhanced if you, a colleague or an acquaintance would care to adver- tise on them!).
As reported separately in this issue, (From The Chaiman, page 31), the team at BAFTA have yet to come to terms with the sad news that Peter Allen will be retiring from his post as Financial Controller at the end of July. As most of you will know, Peter is part of the fabric of BAFTA and he will be sorely missed.
Also moving on from the finance team is Judith Parkinson who, in the latter part of her six years with BAFTA, estab- lished herself as a most competent and valuable IT resource. We all wish Judith every success in her future challenges and thank her for taking BAFTA’s IT to where it is today – which now includes computerised voting systems.
Moving on to new recruits, I am delighted to welcome Tara Davies to the BAFTA team who joins as PR and Marketing Officer. Initially Tara will focus on publicity for the 2001 Interactive Awards and help develop some much needed promotional material for our 195 services. We also welcome Anne Freeman who joins our three-strong reception team fol- lowing last month’s departure of Yvonne Cooke.
This is my overview after the first three months and I shall look forward to reporting on future progress as the BAFTA team seek to reap the potential! ■
KEVIN PRICE’S
“baftalk”
Kevin Price Director of Finance and Administration
sion and multi-media industries all around the world.
Put another way, I can see the very real potential for BAFTA to develop a valuable and high-profile charitable and educational pro- gramme which is funded by a com- mercially successful trading compa- ny. These are the opportunities but there are problems to overcome and structures to put in place.
For instance, we must suc- cessfully separate the manage-
Photos above left: Peter Allen right: one of the 10 BAFTA plasma screens at 195
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