Debbie Manners

Board of Directors

Keo Films

Debbie Manners is Managing Director at Keo Films and Chair of Pact Council.

KEO is an integrated broadcast, commercial and digital production company, regularly voted into the top few places in the Peer Polls for TV Indies. Keo develops and produces content that has something to say, and has a reason to exist beyond achieving ratings.
This innovative approach has resulted in its programming becoming ratings powerhouses and award winners. A fact well illustrated by Skint, a four part series for C4, Hugh’s Fish Fight, two series for C4, and Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die, for BBC Two. KEO brings a strong, ethical brand reputation through its work and integration with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, twice named Observer Campaigner of the Year, and the hugely successful River Cottage brand, now in it’s 14th iteration.
Whilst continuing to make ground-breaking documentaries including brand new Welcome to Rio and I bought a Rainforest, the company has recently moved into Factual Entertainment, natural history, children’s and most recently signed a development deal for factual based drama programming.
New commissions include Dentists and The Enforcers for ITV, The Chocolate City for CBBC’s My life strand, and through newly acquired Maramedia brand – HIghlands. Internationally, in 2012 the company sold River Cottage as a format in Australia – now in its 2nd series for Lifestyle, and set up Keo Australia in 2013 to create factual shows for other Australian broadcasters.
KEO digital burst into life in 2009 as a result of developing river cottage.net as a digital brand that today thrives with over 300,000 subscribers and three million visitors a year, and the River Cottage Youtube channel in collaboration with Jamie Oliver.

KEO digital has since grown into a multi-talented team that create award winning short form content, websites, games, apps and multiplatform projects such as BBC, C4, Yahoo and Waitrose.

Previously (2008-10) Debbie was Chief Operating Officer at Hat Trick Productions, Group Commercial Director (2006-08) for RDF Media Group (now Zodiak), and Director of Rights (2005-6) for Flextech (later Virgin Media and Sky).

Joining the BBC in 1988, Debbie held various business and commercial roles and latterly held the post of Director of Rights and Business Affairs, concluding the Terms of Trade negotiations with PACT in 2004 and implementing the internal changes necessary to deliver the radical change of business required.

Speaking at: Taking the Plunge, Crossing the Pond