Both will join founder and CEO Thomas Hoegh as board members of the studio facility

Garden Studios

Garden Studios has appointed Dame Heather Rabbatts (pictured above, left) as chair, with Vanessa Cowling (pictured above, right) taking on the role of non-executive director.

Rabbatts and Cowling join founder and CEO Thomas Hoegh as board members of the studio.

Rabbatts is a board member of MetFilm School; founding member of IntoFilm; and is director of 48 Films. She was previously a senior executive at Channel 4 Television, developing a range of emerging talent initiatives at the company.

Her non-executive appointments include serving on the boards of Grosvenor Estates GBI, Royal Opera House, the Football Association, Crossrail, the Supervisory Board of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Bank of England and the BBC.

Meanwhile, Cowling has more than 15 years’ experience in advising entrepreneurs and companies on legal and compliance issues. She is currently head of legal at easyJet where she advises on corporate, finance, commercial and procurement matters.

Prior to joining easyJet, Cowling worked at VentureFounders, Arts Alliance, Canada Life, Dechert LLP and Clifford Chance LLP.

Hoegh said: “We are delighted to welcome Dame Heather Rabbatts and Vanessa Cowling to our Garden Studios team. Both their wealth of experience will be incredibly beneficial as we head into the summer with a number of exciting new bookings at the studio”

Rabbatts said: “I look forward to developing Garden Studios with my colleagues as a new studio offer to the industry with a state-of-the-art virtual production stage in such an exciting London location. Our aim is not only to be the home for major productions but also to support talent and independent film-makers who are all too often excluded.”

Cowling added: “I am absolutely thrilled to join the forward-thinking team at Garden Studios who are driving creativity, innovation and education in the heart of London. I can’t wait to get started with the team as the studio continues to develop and grow in the coming months.”