International: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has appointed Krishnendu Majumdar as its new chair replacing Pippa Harris.
Majumdar, who will be the first person of color to serve as chair in BAFTA’s 73-year history and the youngest chair in 35 years, has been deputy chair for a year.
His tenure as chair will run for the next three years, the newly extended term for all future BAFTA chairs. Majumdar, an Emmy-winning and BAFTA-nominated television producer and director, has been involved with BAFTA for 14 years, previously serving as chair of the Learning and New Talent Committee, the chair of the Television Committee and a member of the Board of Trustees for nine years.
Majumdar has supported BAFTA’s year-round program of learning and new talent initiatives, including BAFTA Breakthrough and BAFTA Elevate. He is also chairing BAFTA’s Awards Review, convened in response to the lack of diversity in this year’s Film Awards nominations.
Majumdar said: “It is a tremendous honor to be elected Chair of BAFTA and I’m lucky to be following Pippa Harris’ outstanding tenure and I want to pay tribute to the resilient and dynamic leadership that Pippa has shown. This year has been a difficult and turbulent time for many in our industry, working with Pippa, BAFTA’s talented and committed staff and membership, I want BAFTA to be at the heart of rebuilding the industry post-COVID. It is vital to ensure that we support people of all backgrounds, races, and genders. Diversity and inclusion are crucial for the lifeblood of BAFTA, and we will continue to be a leader for real change across our industry.”
Majumdar co-founded the independent production company Me + You Productions in 2012, alongside Richard Yee. Since then, he has produced the critically acclaimed Dominic Savage drama series I Am for Channel 4 and the International Emmy-winning comedy Hoff the Record. He has executive produced two seasons of the comedy-drama Sick of It, as well as documentary series The Moaning of Life. Majumdar was also showrunner on the BAFTA-nominated global hit franchise An Idiot Abroad.
