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BBC creative chiefs to discuss building global IP at MIPCOM 2026
Kate Phillips, Zai Bennett and Shelley Macintyre will explore how hit IP travels worldwide
MUMBAI: When a good idea travels well, it can become much more than a show. MIPCOM 2026 is putting the business of building lasting entertainment brands under the spotlight, with three senior BBC and BBC Studios executives set to discuss how stories evolve into global intellectual property.
The session, titled ‘From Idea to Global IP: Building Brands That Last’, will bring together BBC Chief Content Officer Kate Phillips, BBC Studios CEO and Chief Creative Officer Global Content Zai Bennett, and BBC Studios CEO Brands & Licensing Shelley Macintyre.
The conversation will take place on Tuesday, 13 October, from 12pm to 12.30pm in the Grand Auditorium, as part of MIPCOM CANNES, running from 12 to 15 October 2026.
At a time when content is increasingly expected to travel across platforms, markets and generations, the session will examine what turns a successful story into an enduring entertainment brand. The discussion will look at the full journey of IP from development and international expansion to licensing, brand extensions and building communities of passionate fans.
The BBC’s portfolio provides plenty of case studies, with franchises including Bluey, Doctor Who, Dancing with the Stars and BBC Earth set to form part of the discussion.
The speakers will also explore how broadcasters, producers and distributors can spot new opportunities while giving creative talent the room to shape the next generation of entertainment brands.
Lucy Smith, Director of MIPCOM CANNES and MIPJUNIOR, said the ability to create enduring global brands had become one of the industry’s defining challenges and opportunities, adding that the BBC’s portfolio offered a strong example of how entertainment franchises can be created, expanded and sustained.
The session comes as MIPCOM expands its conference programme, bringing together executives, creators and innovators to discuss the trends, partnerships and ideas influencing the global entertainment business.
For an industry increasingly chasing the next big hit, the BBC conversation will focus on the harder trick: turning a hit into a habit, and a story into a brand that lasts.
