Bampton brings new trading team to Channel 5

Channel 5’s new commercial sales director Nick Bampton is set to bring in “some of the best talent” from his former company Viacom Brand Solutions, IDS and Digital Cinema Media in a bid to strengthen the broadcaster’s new sales team.

The new appointments will see a restructure of Channel 5’s trading team and the creation of a new marketing partnership division. Bampton has hired Ross Belcher as trading director, Agostino Di Falco as marketing partnerships director, Andy Atkinson as head of trading and Sufia von Bismark as head of operations. The new team starts imminently.

Belcher, the former investment director at VBS, joins Channel 5 with more than 20 years of TV trading experience, working at both ITV and the Telegraph Media Group. Di Falco worked alongside Bampton at VBS following a move from Sky Media. Di Falco is currently a director of The Third Way, a specialist TV consultancy which he launched with Bampton in early 2010.

Atkinson, who is currently a consultant with Channel 4, was previously at IDS as director of sales. As a result of the new appointments, three of the existing Channel 5 sales team will be leaving by mutual agreement and will all be assisting in the hand over process.

“Channel 5 has had to weather considerable change over the last 2 years. Today, is the start of something new,” Bampton said. “The commercial team now have in place the right people, the right tools and focus to achieve much more to enhance our relationships with media agencies and advertisers. We now look forward to a successful future.”

Stan Myerson, group managing director at Northern & Shell added: “Nick has crafted an impressive senior team, ready to address the market in a confident, creative and professional manner to deliver innovative cross-platform solutions for advertisers.”