New Appointments at ITV

LONDON, February 28:
Michael Grade will remain as the executive chairman of ITV until 2010, a year
longer than his original three-year term, the commercial broadcaster announced
today, while ex-BBC One controller Peter Fincham has been tapped to succeed
Simon Shaps as the director of television.

Grade’s contractual terms,
which are subject to one year’s notice, will remain unchanged, with his
executive terms extended by one year.

Dawn Airey, ITV’s managing
director of global content, and Rupert Howell, the managing director of ITV
brand and commercial, have been appointed to join John Cresswell, the company’s
COO, as executive directors on the main Board, effectively immediately.

The Board has also agreed
to split the roles of COO and group financial director, currently held by
Cresswell, who will now begin recruiting for the latter position. This new
appointment will report to Cresswell.

Furthermore, Peter Fincham
has been appointed ITV’s new director of television. He succeeds Simon Shaps,
who has headed ITV’s channels division since 2005. Fincham previously served as
the controller of BBC One, and will take up his new post at ITV this spring. In
his new role, Fincham will assume direct responsibility for ITV1, ITV2, ITV3
and ITV4, reporting to Cresswell. He left the BBC last year amid the fallout
from a botched trailer of a documentary about the Queen.

—By Kristin
Brzoznowski