New Patrons to support Skillset

Parminder Vir and Michael Kuhn have thrown their support behind Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries, by becoming Patrons of the organisation.
They join some of the most senior and influential figures in the industry, including Greg Dyke, Dawn Airey, Peter Bazelgette and Mark Thompson, who sit on Skillset’s Board of Patrons chaired by Lord Puttnam of Queensgate.
Michael Kuhn’s career in film spans over four decades. He joined Polygram N.V (now part of Universal) in 1975 and in 1991 set up Polygram Filmed Entertainment, which made and distributed over 100 films, which between them won 14 Academy Awards. He returned to Britain from his Los Angeles base to set up his own company, Kuhn & Co, in 1999. In partnership with the Film Council, Kuhn & Co last year launched Inside Pictures, a business training programme enabling UK film executives to develop a greater understanding of the business of film in the global market.
Kuhn said: “Tackling the skills issues holding our talent, and therefore our industry, back has always been a priority of mine so I’m thrilled to be working with Skillset and joining such an experienced and illustrious band of patrons.”
Parminder Vir is Producer/Diversity Advisor at Carlton Television, where she develops talent and policy for achieving diversity on and behind the screen. She was the driving force behind the formation of the Cultural Diversity Network (CDN) and last year won the Asian Women of Achievement Award for Media as well as being awarded an OBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list for services to Broadcasting and Film. She is on the Board of Directors of the Film Council and is a filmmaker in her own right with a number of feature films in development, including 'Dr Bennerjee’s Daughters', an adaptation of Jane Austen’s 'Pride and Prejudice' set in a modern Indian community in London, and 'The Prince of Dalston', with Felix Dexter adapting his award-winning monologue from 'Single Voices'.
Vir said: “I’m really looking forward to working with Skillset using training and education to achieve fair representation. Those working in the TV and Film industry need to be reflective of the audience and multicultural society we live in. That way, we will open ourselves to new ideas, markets and a larger pool of creative talent.”
(GB)