BBC Worldwide has hired a new head of mobile to drive domestic and international content sales in the area.

Peter Mercier, former director of business development for MobiTV, will head the BBC Worldwide's push into mobile, working with programme brands such as Little Britain, Doctor Who and Top Gear.

UK mobile operators such as Orange and 3 and international partners in countries including New Zealand and South Korea already have deals with the BBC's commercial arm for mobile content.

BBC Worldwide's director of digital media, Simon Danker, who Mercier will report to, said: "Mobile is clearly a huge opportunity for a major rights owner and international broadcaster like ourselves. Both the domestic and international markets are hungry for quality content and we can satisfy that hunger with some of the world's best known and loved content brands."

Prior to MobiTV, Mercier was content development manager and then director of content for ONDigital, which became ITV Digital.