Partner in Focus - Facilities by ADF:
CEO, Nicola Pearcey

There are few people in the UK film and television industry who have seen it from as many angles as Nicola Pearcey. From her earliest days at the Walt Disney Company and MGM Pictures — working across franchises including James Bond, Pixar and Miramax — to becoming President of UK & Europe at Lionsgate, where she championed titles including The Hunger Games, La La Land and Knives Out, to founding her own media company, Picnik Entertainment, Nicola has spent three decades at the very heart of global film and television. Now, as CEO of Facilities by ADF — one of the Production Guild's Platinum Partners and the UK's leading provider of premium serviced production facilities — Nicola brings that extraordinary breadth of experience to a company she believes is on the cusp of its most exciting chapter yet. A voting member of both BAFTA and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and a passionate advocate for women in leadership, Nicola sat down with us for our very first Partner in Focus — and she had a great deal to say.

Your career has taken you from the Walt Disney Company and MGM Pictures through to President of UK & Europe at Lionsgate, founding Picnik Entertainment, and now CEO of Facilities by ADF. Looking back across that journey, what would you say were the defining moments that shaped the leader you are today? 

I have been fortunate to work across different parts of the screen industry, and each stage has taught me something important about leadership. MGM was a defining moment for me – my first step into the industry, where I was really lucky to work across the James Bond franchise. That was only possible thanks to the amazing people who mentored me along the way. Disney gave me a strong grounding in brand, audience and the importance of commercial excellence at scale, once again only achievable with brilliant peers and seniors. Lionsgate reinforced the value of commercial discipline, bold decision making and backing original storytelling coupled with the importance of working with great teams who are passionate about what they do. Founding Picnik Entertainment was important to me in terms of supporting independent production alongside corporate advisory across development, acquisition, financing and distribution.   Additionally, working in small family businesses from a young age, gave me the added experience of appreciating the value of hard work and great partnership building – this is at the heart of it all. 

Moving into Facilities by ADF has brought those experiences together in a very practical way and has helped me to further build my knowledge across the industry. As we build the business, it's super important for us to support productions from the ground up; understanding what crews need, and helping build the infrastructure that allows great work to happen. These defining moments have usually been the ones that required change and required us to work closely with trusted partners. We've always relished entering new markets, backing projects others might not have seen immediately, and stepping into unfamiliar territory. All of these experiences have shaped me into a leader who values people, great results, adaptability and excellence. In the words of Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingdon) in Ted Lasso, "Don't you dare settle for 'fine'."

During your time at Lionsgate you played a key role in the release and success of major titles including The Hunger Games, La La Land, Knives Out and John Wick, as well as championing UK-led films like Military Wives, Fighting With My Family and Eddie the Eagle. What drew you to those distinctly British stories - and do you think the UK industry does enough to champion its own voice on the global stage? 

What always drew me to those films was their specificity. The best British stories often have a very particular sense of place, humour, character and emotional truth, but that is exactly what makes them travel. Eddie the Eagle, Military Wives and Fighting With My Family are all rooted in recognisably British experiences, yet their themes - ambition, community, family, resilience - are universal. 

Key questions I often ask when approaching are project are: who is the audience? Is it an entertaining proposition? Does it have a compelling message? I think the UK film industry has become better at recognising the value of its own voice, but there is still more to do. We need to take more risks in British content financing and production to allow more talent to cut through and to ensure the increased opportunity in UK production. The recent success of HETV series being produced in the UK speaks for itself. It’s quite amazing to see. The key is to champion originality, invest in talent across the whole country, and ensure that British stories are supported with the same confidence and ambition as major international franchises. The ability to co-produce creates that added perspective and opportunity to create enhanced opportunities for IP, both locally and internationally.

You made a deliberate move from the studio and distribution world into production services when you joined ADF earlier this year. What drew you to Facilities by ADF specifically - and what do you see as the opportunity ahead for the company?

What appealed to me about ADF was the combination of a strong operational business, an excellent reputation with productions, and real potential for growth across three fabulous companies: ADF, Location One and Autotrak Portable Roadways. Having worked in studios, distribution and production, I have seen how critical high-quality production support is to the success of a project. Facilities may sit behind the camera, but they are absolutely central to the working life of a production. ADF and its family of companies has a trusted brand, a committed team and a clear role in supporting some of the most ambitious film and television being made in the UK and Europe. Looking ahead, we want to build on that foundation: to grow responsibly, deepen relationships with producers and studios, ensure the passion our teams have continues to grow, and make ADF synonymous with trusted, sustainable and production-friendly facilities.   

ADF has built an impressive portfolio of productions - from Slow Horses, The Gentlemen to Peaky Blinders, Fantastic Four, Hamnet and Ted Lasso among many others - and has been the first facilities provider in Europe approved by albert for environmental sustainability. How central is sustainability to your vision for the company going forward, and where do you think the wider industry still needs to catch up? 

Sustainability has to be central. It cannot be treated as a separate initiative or a marketing line; it has to be built into the way we operate every day. ADF is incredibly proud of the part we play in the drive for sustainability in film and TV, but it is also a responsibility. Productions are under increasing pressure to reduce their environmental impact, and suppliers like us have a vital role to play in helping them do that practically and credibly. That means continuing to invest in cleaner technologies, smarter logistics, efficient fleet management and better data, while also making sustainable choices easier for production teams on the ground. The wider industry has made progress, but we still need more consistency, more collaboration and more willingness to make sustainability part of budget and planning conversations from the very beginning.

The UK production industry has faced a turbulent few years - from the post-pandemic production boom to the writers' and actors' strikes and a subsequent slowdown in commissioning. From your unique vantage point, having worked across studios, distribution, production and now production services, how do you read the current state of the industry - and what gives you cause for optimism?

The industry has certainly been through a period of correction. After the extraordinary post-pandemic boom, the slowdown that followed the strikes and commissioning changes has been challenging for many businesses and freelancers. I think the current market is more cautious and more selective, but not without opportunity. Demand for high-quality content has not disappeared; what has changed is the level of scrutiny around budgets, schedules and value. That plays to businesses that can be flexible, reliable and genuinely useful to productions. My optimism comes from the depth of talent in the UK, the strength of our infrastructure, the continued appeal of producing here, and the resilience of the people in this sector. This industry has always adapted. The next phase may be more disciplined, but it can also be more sustainable, creative and strategically focused.  Trust is key in building reliable business and we are so proud to work with partners who know the importance of that.  

You are a voting member of both BAFTA and AMPAS - two of the most influential bodies in global film and television. What does that responsibility mean to you, and how does it shape the way you think about the industry and its future?

Being a voting member of BAFTA and AMPAS is a privilege, but I also see it as a responsibility. These organisations help shape what is recognised, celebrated and remembered in our industry, so the choices we make matter. For me, it is about engaging seriously with the work, looking beyond noise or profile, and recognising excellence across different forms of storytelling and different kinds of contribution. It also reinforces the importance of representation, access and opportunity. Awards bodies are not the whole industry, but they do influence conversations about value and visibility. That makes it important to approach the role thoughtfully and with an open mind, especially at a time when the industry is evolving so quickly.   It is both an honour and joy to have the opportunity to watch the incredible content that our industry has to offer. At the end of the day, everything we do is about providing entertainment for audiences around the world - what’s not to love?

Women in senior leadership roles across the production services sector remain underrepresented. As a woman who has led at the very highest levels of the industry - from studio president to CEO - what has your own experience taught you, and what would you say to women earlier in their careers who are navigating those same challenges?

My experience has taught me that leadership is not about fitting a fixed mould. It’s about being authentic and being curious – we learn from each other. I would say to women earlier in their careers: do not wait until you feel completely ready before putting yourself forward. Build your expertise, ask questions, take opportunities that stretch you, and find people who will both support and challenge you. CONNECT with others in the industry and keep connecting. We also need those of us in senior roles to keep opening doors, making introductions, and creating cultures where talented women can progress without having to become someone else in order to lead. Being genuine is central to that. You do not have to copy anyone else’s style or behave in a way that does not feel true to you – be authentic, be human – as this will give other people permission to bring their whole selves to the table too.  Yes, you should expect to be the one who is challenged if things go wrong and at the same time, do not be afraid to ask for people’s opinions.   No one person knows all the answers but an effective team will challenge and drive forward together. 

Finally - what does the Production Guild UK community mean to Facilities by ADF, and what does the partnership between our two organisations look like to you going forward?

The Production Guild UK community matters because it represents the people who make production work in practice. For ADF, that connection is extremely important. We support productions every day, so being close to the community of production professionals helps us understand what they need, where pressures are emerging, and how we can be a better partner. I hope to see the relationship as one that is collaborative and long-term. It is about supporting standards, sharing knowledge, encouraging new talent and contributing positively to the wider production ecosystem. ADF’s success is closely linked to the health of the production community, so the partnership should be one where we listen, contribute and help strengthen the industry together.  I’m looking forward to getting to know the Production Guild teams better and mutually exploring routes to continue to drive British production.