Parminder Vir

Parminder Vir OBE (born April 1955 in Punjabi, India) is an Indian-British business executive, filmmaker and TV producer.

She has a 20-year award-winning career as film and TV producer with BBC Television, Carlton Television and Channel Four, as well as CEO of her independent production company, Formation Films. She has produced and executive-produced some of Britain’s biggest events and TV shows including the MOBO Awards and EMMA Awards. She is currently Chief Executive Officer of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, a position she has held since June 2015.

Career

Film

In 1986, Parminder Vir produced a showreel on black filmmaking in Britain, effectively kick starting her professional career. The tape was viewed by senior BBC executives and led to an offer of work there. Starting out as a researcher, she progressed to assistant producer and eventually to series producer, staying with the BBC until 1994. Thereafter, she continued to make programs for the BBC under the aegis of her own production company, Formation Films.

In 1991, she produced two programs for the BBC series Our War, in which Middle Eastern directors explored the effect of the Gulf War on their different countries and people. This was followed by more international documentaries such as: Algeria - Women at War (1992, made for Channel 4's Critical Eye season),^[1] The Sex Warriors and the Samurai (1995, for Channel 4's Secret Asia series), African Eyes on Europe (1995, broadcast ZDF/Arté, Germany), and a mini-series on the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations.

In 1998, she produced the feature film Babymother (d. Julian Henriques),^[2] a reggae musical set in West London and in 2000 she produced the second series of Single Voices, four half-hour comedy monologues by selected writers.

Before joining the Tony Elumelu Foundation in 2014 as its Director of Entrepreneurship, she was CEO of PVL Media - a specialist consultancy, facilitating cross border business development with emerging markets. The implementation of her international business strategies has led to meaningful trade deals between the UK, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

An expert in private equity funding for film and media, she worked with leading media investment companies in the UK including Ingenious Media Investments and Goldcrest Films. where she advised on the investment of a £20m capital fund which included investments in Oscar-winning and critically acclaimed feature films.^[3]

Entrepreneurship & Nonprofit

Vir is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) which she joined as its Director of Entrepreneurship in April 2014. As CEO, she manages the overall day-to-day operations and strategic development of TEF, as well as the implementation of the Foundation’s key initiatives.

Under Vir’s leadership, the Foundation has continued its mission of empowering African entrepreneurs, and ensuring that entrepreneurship becomes the primary driver of Africa’s economic growth and social transformation. She is supported by Abimbola Adebakin, Chief Operating Officer of the Foundation.

Appointments

In May 1996, Vir was appointed the Diversity Advisor to Carlton Television and in 1999 to the Board of the Film Council.^[4]

She also served on other private and public sector boards including the UKTI Asia Task Force, UK India Business Council, Non-Executive Director of Goldcrest Films, Department for Culture Media and Sports, the UK Film Council and The Indus Entrepreneurs UK.

Achievements

She was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to the Broadcasting and Film industry during the 2002 Birthday Honours.

Personal life

She is the elder sister of Arun Vir,^[5] also a veteran filmmaker. In 1985, she married Julian Henriques, film director and professor of media and communications at Goldsmiths, University of London and they have two daughters: Mala Henriques and Anuradha Henriques.

Parminder holds British citizenships, having moved to England with her family when she was 10.

References