President, AMC Entertainment Networks

Sarah Barnett

As President, Entertainment Networks, Sarah Barnett has oversight of AMC, BBC AMERICA, IFC, and SundanceTV. Her role includes direct oversight of AMC Premiere, the company’s premium SVOD service which offers fans the ability to watch original series without commercials and a variety of other benefits.

Previously Barnett was President and General Manager of BBC AMERICA. Under her leadership the network had unprecedented growth, received an Emmy® for Tatiana Maslany in best actress category for buzzy fan favorite hit show “Orphan Black,” and enjoyed breakthrough ratings with hit series such as “Doctor Who” and “Killing Eve.”

Named head of SundanceTV in 2009, Barnett redefined the channel as a timely and vital television brand by introducing distinctive dramatic series. Barnett launched the network’s scripted strategy in 2010 with the Golden Globe®-winning “Carlos,” and has since overseen a slate of high quality, auteur-driven series that have consistently captured critical acclaim and industry awards, including “Rectify,” “Top of the Lake,” and “The Honorable Woman,” among others.

Prior to this role, Barnett was senior vice president of marketing for SundanceTV and oversaw all strategic and creative marketing for the brand.  Her responsibilities included oversight of consumer and trade marketing, as well as advertising for SundanceTV and its website Sundance.TV.  Barnett led all creative campaigns and branding development and execution for the network, including strategic partnerships and all channel creative expressions.  She also spearheaded SundanceTV’s pioneering branded entertainment short-form series and sponsorship creative executions.

Barnett joined SundanceTV from a previous stint at BBC AMERICA where she served as vice president of on-air and creative marketing.  During her four-year tenure, Barnett reported into the president and led BBC AMERICA’s award-winning creative team, launching a successful brand refresh, packaging their VOD brand and developing all strategy and execution for the network’s show packaging and branded blocks.  She also executive produced several original shows for BBC AMERICA. Before BBC AMERICA, Barnett spent 12 years with the BBC in London, where she produced and directed, working first for BBC radio and then BBC television.

Barnett was featured in The New York Times “Corner Office” column and has been profiled in Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and Indiewire, among others.  She has been included in The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power 100 List, Variety’s Gotham Power List and Variety’s Women’s Impact Report as well. Barnett was also inducted into the 2014 class of Multichannel News’ Wonder Women and has been named to the CableFAX Top 100 and Most Powerful Women list for the past six years.

Barnett earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in history of art from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.