Persephonica adds fire power to leadership team with appointment of BBC Sounds Commissioner and former Radio 1 Producer, Fiona Hanlon

Persephonica, the award-winning UK production company behind hit podcasts Miss Me? and Dua Lipa: At Your Service, has appointed Fiona Hanlon as Managing Director, to lead its entertainment expansion.

Fiona brings 17 years of experience at the BBC where she worked with major names including Maya Jama and Scott Mills. She played a key role in the success of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Nick Grimshaw, shaping its creative direction and audience engagement.

Following her time at Radio 1, Fiona was part of the launch team for BBC Sounds, where she led the commissioning of popular music formats such as Pop Top Ten with Rylan and Scott, which was visualised for iPlayer. Fiona also developed companion content for hit TV series such as Peaky Blinders, Normal People and Killing Eve.

At Persephonica, Fiona will grow the company’s entertainment slate, continuing its winning streak of launching habit-forming shows with A List talent, which connect with millions of listeners.

The industry-leading company has pioneered in the field of podcast visualisation, from its work on The News Agents to Miss Me?, reaching millions of viewers on YouTube. Persephonica has also expanded into live events, with two sell-out shows at London’s Hackney Empire in March. Fiona will continue to grow commercial opportunities for their formats on social media, and in front of live audiences.

This news of Fiona’s appointment comes straight off the back of two awards for Persephonica’s flagship current affairs show, Political Currency, at the inaugural Political Podcast Awards.

Fiona Hanlon says: "Persephonica has built an excellent reputation for working with world-class talent to create standout podcasts. I’m excited to lead the next phase of growth, expanding our entertainment slate and developing fresh, innovative formats, fronted by hosts that have a special connection with their fans.”

Dino Sofos, Persephonica CEO, says: “Fiona joins at a key moment for the company, as we prepare to launch major new original shows in the UK and beyond, with a focus on bold formats, big talent and premium visualisation. Fiona has an eye for spotting gaps in the market and matching top tier hosts with unique ideas. We are incredibly lucky to have such a creative powerhouse leading Persephonica into an exciting new chapter”.