Granada to Set Up Office in Asia

LONDON/HONG KONG, June 15: Granada International has
tapped Bloomberg Television executive James Ross to drive its business in Asia,
setting up a new office in Hong Kong.

Ross will continue to be based in Hong Kong, serving
as regional director for Asia. His mandate is to build a local presence for
Granada International and parent company ITV Worldwide across the region. He
was previously media marketing and distribution director for Bloomberg
Television in Hong Kong.

“The continuing importance of China and the Asian
territories to our business has culminated in our decision to set up a regional
office in Hong Kong,” commented Granada International’s managing director,
Nadine Nohr. “We are delighted to have secured James for this important role.
With his superb background in the region he is perfectly placed to build
strategic partnerships and develop our new media sales business in Asia.
Broadband and mobile phone penetration in the Far East are already the highest
in the world and predicted to grow. We also have strong licensing and format
activity in Asia and therefore needed someone with the breadth of skills and
experience that James brings, including a solid global marketing background, to
develop our business in the region."

George Sakkalli, who previously oversaw sales to Asia,
will continue to focus on the company’s business in Japan, as well as being
responsible for Russia and Africa out of the London headquarters.

Ross joined Bloomberg Television’s launch team in
Tokyo as a TV reporter and anchor in 1996. He was previously a radio reporter
and producer for the BBC.