Channel 4 Acquisitions Head Exits

LONDON: Gill Hay, the head of acquisitions at Channel 4, is stepping down from her role, with the program acquisitions department now moving to report through Martin Baker, the director of commercial affairs.

This move will more closely align the contractual and financial responsibilities of the team. It also brings together Channel 4’s strategy for deal-making in acquired program and film together with commissioned content and Film 4 production.

Editorial decisions on acquisitions will continue to be made by Jay Hunt, the chief creative officer, and the Channel 4 commissioning team.

Hay’s current commercial and legal responsibilities will be integrated within the wider business affairs and production finance department. Baker will undertake a review of the acquisitions department and, in the interim, be responsible for any major acquisitions.

Hay said: “After 12 truly exceptional and rewarding years at Channel 4, this feels like an appropriate juncture for me to hand over the Acquisitions reins to Martin. I am extraordinarily proud of what the acquisitions team has achieved over the years and wish Martin and the team all the best in the future.”

Baker commented: “Gill has done a terrific job heading up the acquisitions department, in particular acquiring such successful series as Homeland, Glee, 2 Broke Girls and Revenge, as well as all of our acquired feature films, for Channel 4. We wish her every success for her future.

“Bringing acquisitions into commercial affairs enables us to centralize the contractual and business responsibilities across all the commissioned and acquired content we broadcast and to operate more strategically across all the deals we do.”