ITV Signs New Strategy, Finance & Entertainment Chiefs

ITV has announced a succession of new directors across its range of operations this morning, including the appointment of Ben McOwen Wilson to the newly-created position of strategy director.

McOwen Wilson will join the broadcaster in March from Spectrum Strategy Consultants, where he is a partner, reporting to ITV chief executive Charles Allen.

The new strategy boss will concentrate on growing ITV’s core businesses, most likely through the development of additional revenue streams.

Elsewhere Henry Staunton, ITV’s current finance director, will step down from the board following a short handover period to be replaced by John Cresswell, ITV’s current chief operating officer.

ITV’s third management change of the day comes in the shape of Paul Jackson, who is to join the network in the newly created role of director of entertainment and comedy, leaving his role as chief executive of Granada America.

The new position will see Jackson direct an expanded department, uniting ITV’s entertainment, comedy and comedy drama commissioning, giving the new boss responsibility for developing and commissioning new programming for the network.

ITV’s final move in the management reshuffle is to appoint David Gyngell, one of the most respected figures in Australian broadcasting, as director of Granada USA to replace Jackson following his move to Britain.

In addition to running ITV’s businesses on both the East and West coasts of America, Gyngell will have responsibility for overseeing Granada Australia.

ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com