FremantleMedia UK Names Non-Executive Chairman

LONDON: David Liddiment, a seasoned media executive, has been appointed as non-executive chairman at FremantleMedia UK (FMUK).

Liddiment will sit on FremantleMedia's Operating Board, advising on a number of matters in the U.K. and around the globe. He will support and advise Richard Holloway, FMUK's interim CEO, as well as the managing directors of FMUK labels Boundless, Euston Films, Newman Street, Retort, Shotglass Media, Talkback and Thames, and the FMUK management team to help expand the genres and commercial opportunities for the U.K. business.

Liddiment most recently was co-founder and creative director of All3Media and served as a BBC trustee from 2006 to 2014. He previously was director of programs and channels at ITV, where his commissioning credits include Pop Idol, I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, among others. He started his TV career at Granada Television in the 1970s.

Cecile Frot-Coutaz, the CEO of FremantleMedia, said: "David is one of the U.K.'s most respected industry leaders. He combines a wealth of experience, an impressive mix of creativity, strong editorial judgment and a deep understanding of U.K. audiences and the creative community. I'm delighted that we will benefit from his knowledge and experience in this important market."

Liddiment added: "I am really looking forward to taking up this role. FremantleMedia is amongst the liveliest and most creative companies I have encountered in my career. As well as producing some of TV's most iconic programs, the labels at FMUK are bursting with fresh and exciting program ideas. In addition, FremantleMedia's global operation in program distribution and digital is hugely impressive and I relish the opportunity to work with colleagues on the Operating Board to navigate our way through the challenges of a rapidly changing media landscape."