Lisa Opie Exits Five

LONDON, May 2: Just a day
after announcing the resignation of its chief executive, Jane Lighting, Five
has said that its managing director of content, Lisa Opie, is also stepping
down.

The resignation will take
place with immediate effect, and Opie, like Lighting, has agreed to take six
months’ gardening leave. The news comes a day after the RTL Group confirmed the
appointment of Dawn Airey as Five’s new chairman and chief executive. Airey
this week stepped down from her role as the managing director of global content
at ITV.

In a statement, Opie said,
“I have had a very enjoyable 18 months working with Jane Lighting and the team
here at Five. The changes we have made during that time have given Five, and
its digital channels, Five US and the recently rebranded FIVER, a strong start
to the year and a good platform for the future Five is in good health, but
Jane’s departure and the arrival of Dawn Airey as chairman of Five means that
it is time for a change. I would like to wish Dawn all the best in her new
role—and assure her that she will be inheriting a highly capable team of
creative people. In the meantime, I am confident that Mark White, interim chief
executive, will maintain Five’s recent progress.”

Gerhard Zeiler, the CEO of RTL Group, noted: “RTL Group is grateful to Lisa Opie for
her achievements during her time as managing director, content. Since joining
the company in October 2006, she defined and delivered the editorial and
creative strategy for Five and the two digital channels. I wish her the best of
success and happiness for her future.”

Opie was appointed as
Five’s managing director of content in October 2006 following more than a
decade at Flextech Television, most recently as managing director. Earlier in
her career, she worked for BSkyB and the BBC.

—By Mansha Daswani