Base79 hires YouTube content partnerships chief Walker

Online video specialist Base79 has hiredYouTube’s senior director of content partnerships Patrick Walker as chief content officer.

Walker was responsible for the launch ofYouTube in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and secured a number of key content deals including the video sharing site’s first broadcaster deal with the BBC. Recently he led the development of YouTube’s music strategy in EMEA.

His remit at Base79 will be to lead and focus the business’ rapid global growth though content partnerships, creative deal-making and global programming strategy.

Base79, which says it is the largest YouTube partner channel outside North America, recently secured a major investment from investors including Peter Chernin and Creative Artist Agency’s Evolution Media Capital.