Allen Announces Exit

LONDON, August 8: After weeks of speculation, ITV’s chief
executive, Charles
Allen, has announced that he will step down on October 1, with finance
director John Cresswell tapped as interim CEO until a permanent successor has
been chosen.

Allen has been at Granada plc and then ITV plc for 15 years,
10 of which as chairman or chief executive. In a statement, Allen commented, “I
have enjoyed enormously my 15 years with Granada and ITV and especially in
creating a single ITV Company and shaping the nation’s number one commercial
broadcaster as a major player in the digital age. Over that time I have worked
with the most talented and creative people in the industry and am pleased that
so many of them are now in the strong management team that is implementing our
strategy to develop ITV’s businesses for the future. I am particularly proud of
the work that my colleagues have done in creating one of the top production
companies in Europe, building the leading commercial family of digital
channels, creating the foundations of our consumer business and building
confidence in our national and regional news. I have made many friends amongst
my colleagues and I wish them all the best for the future. My focus now is to
support John and the Board through the transition process, following which I
will move forward to the next chapter of my life and a new set of challenges.”

Among those tipped as possible successors are BSkyB’s Dawn
Airey, former Ofcom chief Stephen Carter, Channel 4’s chief executive Andy
Duncan and former BBC DG Greg Dyke.