Lilla Hurst is Global Head of Acquisitions &Content Strategy at Blue Ant Studios. Blue Ant Studios is a leading worldwide distributor of high-quality, creative content that engages audiences worldwide and across multiple platforms. The company offers a full-service approach to production partners with sales operations in the U.S., the UK and Canada. Blue Ant Studios has a growing slate, including distinctive series and formats in five key genres including factual entertainment, specialist factual, high-impact documentaries, kids and family, and scripted. Blue Ant Studios also has one of the world’s largest offerings of 4K natural history content. Blue Ant Studios is a division of Blue Ant Media.

Lilla works in partnership with both Blue Ant Studios and third party producers to secure co-production funding and acquire content for the distribution business. Blue Ant acquired Lilla and Ben Barrett’s company Drive in June 2022 in order to spearhead the company’s move into co-production. Lilla launched Drive, the specialist pre-sales and co-production agency in partnership with Ben Barrett in 2013. They then went on to launch the distribution arm of the company in 2016. With unparalleled expertise in raising production finance from international channels, the company has gone on to achieve great results in its first few years of distribution. Hurst and the team worked with some of the best production companies in the business, including Lightbox, October Films, Oxford Films, Yap Films and Blink Film & TV. Prior to setting up DRIVE, Lilla founded Lillavision in 2008, working with indies to secure co production and deficit finance. She was previously Head of Co-production at Channel 5 and Head of Acquisitions and Co-productions at RDF International, now Zodiak