Parminder Vir OBE

With over 20 years of work in the media, creative and cultural industries, Parminder brings considerable expertise and experience in film and television production, media finance, business development in emerging markets, diversity executive and developing high level strategy and policy through board memberships of public and private organisations.

Media Finance

Parminder Vir developed her expertise in film and media finance when she joined Ingenious Media, UK’s leading media investment and advisory group, in 2005 to set up Ingenious World Cinema, an equity fund investing in cross-cultural films from the emerging markets.

As the manager of Ingenious World Cinema she sourced single film projects, structured and negotiated the financing of two international film slates, executive produced the delivery of the projects to completion, and introduced new investor base to the company, including high net worth individuals, who view film as an asset class.

In December 2008, she joined Goldcrest Film Productions as non executive director advising on the investment of their Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) Film Fund, recommending projects for production and post production finance with a focus on UK films.

She is non executive director of Cause Entertainment Venture Fund, investing in socially conscious cinema in India.

As Board Director of UK Film Council, Government backed lead agency for film in the UK, she helped to develop strategy and policy for film industry between 2000-2005.

Emerging Markets Media and Creative industries

Parminder has worked extensively across the emerging markets media and creative industries identifying growth areas and commercial opportunities as film producer, media financier, facilitating co-production and co-financing partnerships, leveraging her extensive knowledge and management expertise in the creative media sector.

Producer and Executive Producer Film and Television

She is an award winning film and television producer and executive producer, with 20 years of production experience working for the BBC, ITV, Channel Four, major international channels and her own independent production company, Formation Films.

Her production credits include: Critically acclaimed feature film Babymother for Film Four, Algeria Women at War; The Sex Warriors and the Samurai for Channel 4, Rouch in Reverse for ZDF, two series of Developing Stories directed by filmmakers from Africa, Asia and Latin America for the BBC.

At Carlton Television (May 1996–May 2004), she produced and executive produced a number of programmes including award-winning Single Voices, Melting Pot, Carlton’s Multicultural Achievement Awards, MOBO and EMMA awards.

She identified new markets for programme sales, format exchange and co-production opportunities for Carlton business in India, South Africa and the Caribbean.

Cultural Diversity: Engaging with Multicultural Audiences and Talent

She worked as business development consultant on how diversity can benefit business with respect to talent, audiences and markets with Royal Shakespeare Company, MTV UK, London Development Agency and ITV.

She was the co-founder of Cultural Diversity Network (CDN), an alliance of UK Broadcasters working towards greater diversity in British Television set up in 2000 and still active. In November 2005, she produced ‘Diversity Making it Pay’ a conference for ITV and CDN.

At Carlton Television, she was the Executive Producer/Diversity Advisor to Director of Programmes and Chief Executive from 1996 – 2004 developing the business case for diversity as a commercial opportunity.

She designed and project managed a series of innovative diversity initiatives including: establishing a cross company senior management diversity group, mainstreaming Ethnic talent thought integrated casting, inclusive employment and training initiatives and set up systems for tracking and monitoring on screen portrayal and employment of ethnic talent.

She represented Carlton Television externally with government, public sector bodies, trade associations and community networks and positioned the company as company of choice with talent.

International Speaker

Parminder is a regular speaker and panellist at International Film Festivals and Media Conferences, on the subject of International Film and Media Finance, Co-Productions and how to benefit from Multicultural Markets and emerging opportunities in India, China and beyond.

Board Director

Currently a non executive director of Department for Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS), a founder and board director of UK India Business Council, a board director and Charter Member of The Indus Entrepreneur (TIE) and Chair of their Creative Industries Special interest group, a board director of Goldcrest Films, a board director of Screenwriters Festival, a Skillet patron and a board director of the Young Vic Theatre.

Previously she served as a board director of the UK Film Council (1999-2005).

Awards & Honours

She was awarded an OBE for her services to the Broadcasting and Film industry in the Queen’s birthday honours list in June 2002, the Asian Women of Achievement Award for Media in May 2001, the Media and Arts Award at the Asian Jewel Awards in July 2003 and the Windrush Diversity Award in 1999.

For details of all Board Memberships & Awards including the OBE please see the board memberships page.

She was born in the Punjab, India and came to England at the age of 10. She is married to Dr Julian Henriques, Senior Lecture Goldsmiths, University of London and writer/director. They have two daughters Mala and Anuradha.