ScreenSkills has named Outline Productions’ managing director Laura Mansfield as its next chief executive, Screen’s sister brand Broadcast has reported.
She will succeed Seetha Kumar, who decided to stand down in the summer after eight years in the role. Mansfield will assume her role from mid-January 2024, reporting to chair Richard Johnston.
As chief, Mansfield will work with ScreenSkills’ leadership team and board to build on its strategy to provide training and development programmes for the sector’s workforce, industry leadership and expertise.
She will also work with cross-industry partners and collaborate with the Skills Task Force to deliver the objectives published in its recent report, which outlined the need for a pan-sector approach to skills shortages.
Mansfield said: “I’m passionate about supporting the development of people in our industry - whether that’s helping new starters or those who are mid-career and upskilling to move genre or role.
“I’m also looking forward to working with our partners across the UK. It’s a challenging but also exciting time for the screen industries and I’m encouraged by the recognition from the Skills Task Force that the industry needs to come together to build a long-term skills strategy to ensure the UK remains world-leading and best in class.”
Lisa Opie, deputy chair of ScreenSkills, praised Mansfield’s extensive industry experience, from her roles as co-founder and managing director of Outline and creative director of Tin Roof Media group to serving as a non-executive director for Elstree Film Studios and chairing producer body Pact.
Opie added: “She has demonstratable experience of strategic leadership, building collaborative and critical partnerships, as well as an in-depth understanding of, and a clear commitment to, developing and supporting training and career pathways.”
Johnston thanked Kumar for her “outstanding leadership and tireless commitment” as chief executive.
“Over the last eight years, she has ensured that ScreenSkills has supported the careers of thousands of people who make some of the best programmes in the world,” he said. “And critically, her stewardship through the Covid pandemic enabled the industry to emerge from lockdown and rapidly restart production. We wish her all the very best in her next endeavour.”
Outline plans
Mansfield co-founded Outline with creative director Helen Veale in 1999 and sold it to Tin Roof in 2017. She has worked for BBC Entertainment, BBC Youth and Entertainment as well as at Watchmaker and Rapido TV. She was a member of the Pact council between 2012 and 2016, and chair from 2014 to 2016. She also served as an advisory board member to the Indie Training Fund from 2012 to 2014.
Mansfield added she was “hugely proud of the legacy of quality programmes, and work culture we’ve built with our teams at Outline”.
“I’ve spent more than two decades working with my co-founder, the incredible Helen Veale. We’ve helped grow hundreds of careers and produced entertaining television that’s made positive real-world impact.
“I’ll miss our creative partnership, but know she’ll continue to do extraordinary things. This unique opportunity now afforded by ScreenSkills to help many others build sustainable careers in an industry I love at a pivotal time was too good to miss.”
Veale echoed Mansfield’s words, saying: “I’m incredibly proud of everything we have achieved together at Outline, where we’ve created wonderful programmes and a very strong brand. ”
Rod Henwood, executive chair of Tin Roof, said the company would deliberate on how to build on Outline’s slate, and will make succession announcements in the new year.
He praised Mansfield for building Outline into a “highly-respected indie” with a stable of on-screen talent, including Sarah Beeny, Fred Sirieix, Rochelle Humes and Michel Roux Jr, and broadcast partners.
“She has been an excellent creative and business leader, innovating as the industry changed to develop new routes to funding from sponsorship to ad funding enabling new shows to be made for multiple channels,” he said. “We at Tin Roof all wish her the very best at ScreenSkills.”
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