British Film Institute (‘BFI’)
The BFI is the UK’s Royal Charter holder for the promotion and preservation of the UK’s highly-regarded filmmaking and television industries. The BFI National Archive is the world's largest film archive, with over 1 million objects, many of which are unique.
Kerri was a retained advisor to the British Film Institute (BFI) from 2015, with a particular focus on the BFI’s existing property portfolio, strategic partnerships and the ambition to create a new International Centre for Film & Moving Image for the UK. The new Centre was intended to reflect the UK’s worldwide reputation for creativity and achievement in film, TV and moving image. It would provide a hub for filmmakers, artists and industry professionals to meet, exchange ideas, showcase their work and develop skills; enable visitors the opportunity to interact with the BFI’s unique archive (the world’s largest, with over 1 million artefacts); and provide learning opportunities for all age-groups, both on- and off-site, using the latest digital technologies in the arts of film-making, production, preservation and restoration.
The new £130m Centre was proposed for a prominent site on Southbank in central London - the last undeveloped site on that part of the River Thames - which had a unique set of planning & design requirements. A professional design team, led by renowned German architectural firm Ole Scheeren in partnership with leading UK architect Haworth Tompkins, was appointed; and support was secured from the Mayor of London and a number of leading high profile figures in acting and the film industry. As well as the new Centre itself, Kerri’s advisory role covered the organisational re-design needed in the transition to the new Centre, and options for re-use of the rest of the BFI’s estate, including their other London base near Oxford Circus.
A significant private investor was secured (£87m), and a number of major proposals prepared and submitted to a number of funding bodies, trusts & foundations, including a £19m submission to the UK Heritage Lottery fund which Kerri led. However in January 2019, the BFI announced it could no longer proceed with the new Centre and would instead invest in remodelling its existing Southbank home, due to the uncertain economic and political climate, including the Southbank site’s planning constraints, the loss of central government support, and the UK’s exist from the EU.
