BBC Worldwide's long-term vision

To be recognised in our own right as one of the UK's leading international consumer media companies, admired around the world for its outstanding products and exceptional commercial performance, thereby bringing substantial and growing benefit to the BBC - not just commercially but also creatively.

The first year of our five-year strategy has seen us take major steps towards becoming a world-class marketing organisation. We are developing a portfolio of outstanding cross-media brands, attracting consumers across continents. Marketing excellence will be our core competence.

Our 'parent' brand - the BBC - is already one of the biggest names in world media, associated with both quality and integrity. We will build on that reputation, investing in dozens of further programme-related brands with cross-media potential.

A three-dimensional model

There are four key elements to our strategy:

- Brand building: In partnership with the rest of the BBC we are creating a sustainable flow of powerful global and UK-specific brands capable of generating revenues over several years and extending products beyond the television screen. Successes are many, including Teletubbies, Noddy, Top of the Pops, Wallace & Gromit, and, in the UK, brands such as EastEnders and Radio Times. More than 60 further brands and properties are currently under development.

- On-screen television marketing: Historically, BBC Worldwide has created the BBC's television 'shop window' in world markets through programme licensing. Whilst profitable and a business at which BBC Worldwide excels (selling as much as all other UK programme distributors put together), we are now aiming to strengthen the BBC's television presence via increasingly higher profile on-screen branding, the packaging of programmes into 'branded blocks' (such as BBC Britcom - the best of BBC comedy) and the continued expansion of our wholly-owned and partnership channels.

- Expand territories: Currently, around two-thirds of BBC Worldwide's income comes from the UK; within five years we expect this proportion to be close to 50%. To achieve this we are building robust regional businesses with sufficient scale and scope to succeed - with a particular focus on the US.

- Drive across multiple formats: We are increasingly exploiting brands across the widest possible range of media - television, magazines, books, videos, spoken word, music CDs and tapes, CD-ROMs, online, toys and other merchandise.

A place where talented people want to work

One of our top priorities is to make BBC Worldwide a place where the very best people want to work. We've made a strong start this year with the 'For a Better World' initiative involving everyone in the company.

Under this umbrella, we have set in train leadership programmes, championship of learning and growth, and staff task forces, and made improvements in both internal and external communications.