Alix Pryde
Encyclopedia
Dr Alexandra Pryde is part of the senior BBC
Management team. She is the Director of BBC Distribution where she leads the Distribution team, negotiating and managing contracts for broadcast distribution of the BBC's TV and radio services in the UK, technical digital switchover, and advising on future broadcast distribution developments.
She keeps a regular blog on changes & developments at the BBC in distribution here http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2011/05/bbc_alba_on_freeview.html
and Churchill College Cambridge. At Cambridge she worked with Dr Martin Dove as her supervisor in the Department of Earth Sciences
, on projects including Negative Thermal Expansion
.
She then became a strategy consultant with McKinsey & Co working on projects on broadcasting and the BBC. Alix is one of the authors to the McKinsey Quarterly report Keeping Baywatch at Bay, a report discussing whether public-service broadcasters could fulfill their mission in the deregulated television environment, which was written with Adrian D. Blake, Nicholas C. Lovegrove, and Toby Strauss.
After leaving McKinsey Alix became Head of Development for The Wireless Group plc, working with CEO and former The Sun
editor Kelvin McKenzie, which operated circa 20 commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom, including national speech station talkSPORT
(sold to UTV
in June 2005) and then she also worked with David Campbell at the Ministry of Sound
on a bid for an East Midlands
regional radio license that was eventually won by Saga Radio Group
.
She joined the BBC in 2001 in BBC Radio & Music Strategy covering the BBC national radio strategy both digital and analogue. In 2003 Alix was promoted to Head of Strategy for BBC News
and subsequently BBC Journalism, where she worked alongside Mark Byford
, the deputy Director General, in leading the BBC "Creative Future Journalism" project. In 2007 she became Chief Adviser to Caroline Thomson, BBC's Chief Operating Officer. Alix did have an introduction to broadcasting at the BBC station for London GLR where she worked for Chris Evans on his Saturday morning show but only achieved the position of air recognition as “Chris Evans` tea-girl, a role she claimed never to have undertaken as she doesn’t drink tea. She was appointed Controller, BBC Distribution, in February 2009.
In her role as Controller of BBC Distribution, Alix proposed a controversial scheme for DRM encryption
of BBC content, which was the subject of a 4-month investigation by Ofcom
in early 2010.
In 2008 Alix was named Shell
's "Media Woman of the Future", where the judges said: "Alix is an incredibly multi-faceted individual whose achievements reflect her own diversity. Despite the pressure of her role, she has found the time to mentor other women who are embarking on a similar journey and who may otherwise fail to take that crucial first step." Alix was one of Management Today's "35 under 35" young businesswomen to watch again in 2008.
"The Times" (of London) named Alix in article titled "Why aren't these women in Britains top boardrooms?" (25th February 2011). The article argued that more women should be in Britain's business boardrooms, and then listed a number of top women who the newspaper thought would be suitable. Alix was named and listed.("The Times of London" is behind a paywall hence the lack of a link here)
Alix lives in South London and is married with one son and daughter.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Management team. She is the Director of BBC Distribution where she leads the Distribution team, negotiating and managing contracts for broadcast distribution of the BBC's TV and radio services in the UK, technical digital switchover, and advising on future broadcast distribution developments.
She keeps a regular blog on changes & developments at the BBC in distribution here http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2011/05/bbc_alba_on_freeview.html
Biography
Alix Pryde started her career as a physicist, completing a PhD in theoretical physics studying at UCLUniversity College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
and Churchill College Cambridge. At Cambridge she worked with Dr Martin Dove as her supervisor in the Department of Earth Sciences
University of Cambridge Department of Earth Sciences
The Department of Earth Sciences at Cambridge is the University of Cambridge's Earth Sciences department. The main location of the department is at the Downing Site, Downing St. The Bullard Laboratories, located in West Cambridge on Madingley Rd, and the Godwin Laboratory, in the New Museums Site...
, on projects including Negative Thermal Expansion
Negative thermal expansion
Negative Thermal Expansion is a physicochemical process in which some materials contract upon heating rather than expanding as most materials do. Materials which undergo this unusual process have a range of potential engineering, photonic, electronic, and structural applications...
.
She then became a strategy consultant with McKinsey & Co working on projects on broadcasting and the BBC. Alix is one of the authors to the McKinsey Quarterly report Keeping Baywatch at Bay, a report discussing whether public-service broadcasters could fulfill their mission in the deregulated television environment, which was written with Adrian D. Blake, Nicholas C. Lovegrove, and Toby Strauss.
After leaving McKinsey Alix became Head of Development for The Wireless Group plc, working with CEO and former The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
editor Kelvin McKenzie, which operated circa 20 commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom, including national speech station talkSPORT
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
(sold to UTV
UTV
UTV is a television channel based in the UK region of Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 or Independent Television licensee for Northern Ireland and is operated by UTV Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :* Analogue: Normally tuned to 3 * Freeview : 3...
in June 2005) and then she also worked with David Campbell at the Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
on a bid for an East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
regional radio license that was eventually won by Saga Radio Group
Saga Radio Group
The Saga Radio Group was a British radio network owned and operated by Saga Services Ltd, and aimed at an audience aged 50 and over. The first Saga station was launched in the West Midlands on 16 October, 2001 and was subsequently followed by two others based in the East Midlands and Glasgow...
.
She joined the BBC in 2001 in BBC Radio & Music Strategy covering the BBC national radio strategy both digital and analogue. In 2003 Alix was promoted to Head of Strategy for BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
and subsequently BBC Journalism, where she worked alongside Mark Byford
Mark Byford
Mark Byford was Deputy Director General of the British Broadcasting Corporation and head of BBC Journalism from 2004-2011. He chaired the BBC Journalism Board and had overall responsibility for the world’s largest and most trusted news organisation, and all its radio, television and interactive...
, the deputy Director General, in leading the BBC "Creative Future Journalism" project. In 2007 she became Chief Adviser to Caroline Thomson, BBC's Chief Operating Officer. Alix did have an introduction to broadcasting at the BBC station for London GLR where she worked for Chris Evans on his Saturday morning show but only achieved the position of air recognition as “Chris Evans` tea-girl, a role she claimed never to have undertaken as she doesn’t drink tea. She was appointed Controller, BBC Distribution, in February 2009.
In her role as Controller of BBC Distribution, Alix proposed a controversial scheme for DRM encryption
Digital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
of BBC content, which was the subject of a 4-month investigation by Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
in early 2010.
In 2008 Alix was named Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
's "Media Woman of the Future", where the judges said: "Alix is an incredibly multi-faceted individual whose achievements reflect her own diversity. Despite the pressure of her role, she has found the time to mentor other women who are embarking on a similar journey and who may otherwise fail to take that crucial first step." Alix was one of Management Today's "35 under 35" young businesswomen to watch again in 2008.
"The Times" (of London) named Alix in article titled "Why aren't these women in Britains top boardrooms?" (25th February 2011). The article argued that more women should be in Britain's business boardrooms, and then listed a number of top women who the newspaper thought would be suitable. Alix was named and listed.("The Times of London" is behind a paywall hence the lack of a link here)
Alix lives in South London and is married with one son and daughter.