Olsberg•SPI appoints Amanda Nevill as Special Adviser
Following a distinguished career as the CEO of the British Film Institute (BFI) between 2003 and 2020, Amanda joins SPI in a freelance advisory role supporting the firm on its global consultancy assignments and in securing new business opportunities. This will specifically include projects on workforce diversity and inclusion; vocational and talent development, and overall strategies for screen sector expansion.
Amanda will work with UK and global clients as part of SPI’s London-based team in the wake of a massive increase in activity across the creative industries in the last few years. The company advises on opportunities created by the extraordinary expansion of the screen sector, which delivers huge value around the world. Responding to the highly damaging impacts of COVID-19, SPI is advising on strategies to resume growth, quickly and safely. Amanda stepped down from her position at the BFI earlier this year. During this time, she transformed the BFI, which became the UK’s lead organisation for film, television and the moving image and took on a new, expanded remit as the National Lottery distributor for film.
Putting audiences at the centre of her vision for the BFI, under Amanda’s leadership the organisation transformed BFI Southbank, launched the BFI Film Academy, Video-on-Demand platform BFI Player, and BFI Network across the UK. She also championed change to increase diversity and inclusion across the industry, including the introduction of the BFI’s pioneering Diversity Standards which are embedded within its funding decisions and activities. Under Amanda’s tenure, the BFI developed many international partnerships – such as the focus on cultural and industrial collaboration with China, leading towards the signing of the first UK-China co-production treaty in April 2014.
Amanda’s national and international contributions were recently recognised with the prestigious BFI Fellowship and in 2015 she received a CBE for services to the film industry. She was also the recipient of a Veuve Clicquot Social Purpose Award in 2018, the Barclays Business Women in Film and Television Award in 2016 and a British Independent Film Awards Special Jury Prize in 2019.SPI’s Managing Director Leon Forde said: “Jonathan Olsberg and I are thrilled that Amanda will be contributing to SPI at a key juncture in the company’s development and ambitions for the future. She will add unparalleled insight and experience and enhance SPI’s offer to our global client base across a range of areas.” Amanda Nevill said: “I have worked with SPI on many occasions, and highly valued and trusted their foresight and knowledge which is always delivered with such integrity. I love the way they do business and am excited to be joining them, contributing to an industry that has been booming with continued future promise, but which now faces significant challenges as it copes with the current crisis and builds the road to recovery.”