Peter Balm is getting a major promotion. The longtime executive at UK production company Warp Films has been named Managing Director, effective immediately, marking a significant leadership shift at the company behind Netflix’s critically acclaimed drama Adolescence.
Balm, who spent the last 14 years climbing the ranks at Warp—most recently as Commercial Director—will now oversee the company’s entire commercial strategy and operations alongside Founder & CEO Mark Herbert, COO & CFO Niall Shamma, and Chief Creative Officer Emily Feller.
The timing couldn’t be better. Adolescence, the dark single-take drama starring Stephen Graham, has become a global phenomenon for the streaming service. The series, which follows a 13-year-old boy arrested for murder, swept award season with eight Primetime Emmy wins, seven BAFTAs, and four Golden Globes. It even briefly toppled Bridgerton from Netflix’s global charts.
“Peter has played a hugely important role in Warp’s growth over the last decade,” Herbert said in a statement. “He combines real commercial instinct with a deep understanding of who we are creatively.”
Balm joined Warp in 2012 as a business and commercial executive before climbing to Commercial Director in 2023. His credits include Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, the cult classic This is England 90, and the film ’71. On Adolescence, he served as co-executive producer.
The company is now entering what executives are calling “one of the most ambitious periods in its 20-year history.” Warp is expanding its film slate alongside television projects, including a series adaptation of the nuclear conflict film Threads currently in development. Balm will relocate to the company’s Sheffield headquarters to lead this expansion.
“We’re entering a hugely exciting period,” Balm said. “Expanding our slate and partnerships, growing our film ambitions and continuing to back distinctive voices across television and film.”
