BBC hires O&M director for media planning

Alan James, former TV buying director at Ogilvy & Mather’s media buying arm The Network, joins BBC Broadcast this week as head of media planning within Broadcasting & Presentation, the unit which handles trails for radio, television and online.

He will report to Pam Masters, director of broadcasting & presentation and a BBC Broadcast board member, alongside marketing & communications director Sue Farr.

Masters says: “The BBC has an enormous asset in the airtime at its disposal. Using the skills and media planning expertise he brings will enable us to manage that airtime effectively and wisely, in close collaboration with senior colleagues in BBC Broadcast, especially marketing and communications.”

James says: “The BBC is a major player in the digital arena, and I look forward to being part of the B&P team working on its plans.”

James, an O&M board member, failed to secure a senior post in the management line-up of the new WPP outfit MindShare, which was formed by the merger of The Network with JWT Media. Mandy Pooler, MindShare UK managing director and former managing director of The Network, has yet to name her head of TV.

As TV buying director at The Network, James was responsible for more than 120m of commercial TV airtime, and acted for clients including Ford, Guinness, IBM, Mattel and Kodak. He began his career in 1985 at Dorland Advertising, before joining O&M in 1986.

His departure follows that of colleague Phil Teeman, who left to become European sales director at The Discovery channel (MW December 4 1997).