Foxtel has announced the appointment of Penny Win as Head of Drama.
Foxtel executive director of television Brian Walsh said: “Penny Win’s promotion to the key position of Head of Drama is a resounding endorsement of her skill and commitment to providing our subscribers with unique and distinctive Australian stories.
“Foxtel’s upcoming drama slate has never been stronger, and this new role for Penny sees her responsible for expanding the portfolio of home grown dramas to complement our international drama supply, particularly our exclusive partnerships with HBO and BBC.”
Win has overseen the development of Wentworth, which over two seasons has maintained its reign as the most watched Australian drama in subscription television history and been sold to more than 80 international territories and adapted in Germany and Holland. Wentworth’s third season wrapped production last month and will premiere on SoHo in 2015.
She also commissioned and was an executive producer on Devil’s Playground, Foxtel’s next major Australian drama series, which premieres September 9 on showcase.
Her other commissions include Deadline Gallipoli, starring Sam Worthington, which has just wrapped filming in South Australia and The Kettering Incident, featuring Elizabeth Debicki and Matt Le Nevez, which recently started production in Tasmania. Both series will premiere in 2015.
Win joined Foxtel in 2003 as Group Channel Manager of FOX Classics and the W channel. She steered W’s development as a drama-focused channel, including its first local commission, the high concept series Spirited. In 2012, Ms Win oversaw W’s evolution into the SoHo channel and was then appointed Group Channel Manager of Foxtel Networks’ two drama channels, SoHo and showcase.
Win said: “I am honoured to take on this new role and will continue to collaborate with the passionate and inspiring local production community to identify and develop great Australian stories for Foxtel subscribers.”