Five promotes sales chief to MD after Aireys arrival

dawn%20aireyFive has promoted executive sales director Mark White to the new role of managing director.
White’s promotion comes a week after chief executive and chairman Dawn Airey arrived at the channel. She has been on gardening leave from ITV since her appointment six months ago.

White has been interim chief executive at the broadcaster since May. He was moved to the role after chief executive Jane Lighting was ousted by Airey’s appointment.

It is thought the move will leave board-level sales director Kelly Williams in charge of sales, with White taking over the day-to-day running at the broadcaster.

It is Airey’s second change since joining the RTL-owned channel at the end of last month. She has already poached Channel 4 director of acquisitions Jeff Ford for a new board-level role as managing director of digital channels and acquisitions.

Airey has also ordered a wide-ranging review of Five’s operations by Boston Consulting Group, the consultancy that recommended a number of redundancies at ITV and News Corporation after similar reviews.

White been executive director of sales since 2004, replacing Nick Milligan, who left to join BSkyB. White has also worked for Thames Television and satellite broadcaster UK Gold, where he held the position of sales controller. He was appointed deputy sales director at Five in 2000.

Airey rejoined Five just six months after leaving ITV, where she was managing director of global content for eight months. She was previously director of programmes at Five, before becoming chief executive in 2000.