UKTV Taps Former Sky Exec as General Counsel

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LONDON: UKTV is expanding its senior leadership team with the appointment of Samantha Hammonds as general counsel, effective in January.

In this newly created role, Hammonds will lead all legal and business affairs operations. She will be responsible for helping UKTV execute its commercial and corporate strategy, protect its intellectual property rights and minimize legal risk. Hammonds will report directly to Darren Childs, the company’s CEO.

Hammonds spent 17 years at Sky, where she most recently served as head of legal for content and copyright, overseeing the growth of the broadcaster’s content business and the expansion of the commissioning, production and distribution businesses, as well as the renewal of Sky’s major acquisition deals.

Childs commented, "UKTV continues to grow across all platforms, and we’re setting our ambitions higher than ever. Samantha is hugely experienced and the perfect legal lead for our next phase of growth. She will equip us with the very best legal expertise in all areas, including intellectual property rights and platform carriage relationships, particularly as UKTV creates more of its own original content and is regularly launching on new platforms.”

"I am excited to be joining UKTV in this new role on UKTV’s executive leadership team,” Hammonds added. “UKTV are an innovative and inspiring company with an inclusive and forward-thinking culture. Their commitment to investing in strong brands and great programming is impressive and I am delighted to be heading up one of the best legal and business affairs teams in the industry.”