Producer Parminder Vir has joined Pyramedia as a development consultant.

Her role at the international production and media company, which has offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Cairo, London and New York, will include contracting Arab actors and helping to nurture Middle Eastern film-makers.

Vir joined UK financing company Ingenious Media in 2005 where she set up Ingenious World Cinema, an equity fund investing in cross cultural films from emerging markets. She sat on the board of directors at the UKFC from 2000-2005 as well as being a Skillset patron and a founder of the UK Indian Business Council. She is currently a non executive director of the UK’s department for culture media and sports (DCMS) and was awarded an OBE in 2002.

Pyramedia has also launched a $10,000 competition for Arab scriptwriters, with submissions opening in January. The winning script will be produced by Pyramedia, or pitched to third parties.

Nashwa Al Ruwaini, CEO of Pyramedia said she was “proud to announce the joining of film producer Parminder Vir to the Pyramedia team. Parminder will be a development consultant for works in the fields of film and television, adding to the framework of the company’s strategy to always hire the best and most qualified specialists in the field of media.”