Disney appoints ex-BBC1 marketer

Disney Channels UK and Ireland has appointed former BBC1 head of marketing Christine Madden to the new role of executive marketing director.

She will oversee on-air and off-air marketing for the channels, which marks the first occasion that both roles have been combined. Her appointment comes as Disney looks to build on the UK success of franchises based around High School Musical, Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers.

She will report to Michael Cairns, general manager of Disney Channels UK and Ireland. She is also expected to work closely with the other divisions of The Walt Disney Company to build on the Disney Channel’s franchises.

Madden was most recently at Thinkbox as interim director of marketing and communications. She was at the TV marketing body from October 2006 to the end of 2007.

Before that, she spent five years at the BBC, joining in 2001 as head of marketing for BBC1 with a brief to create a marketing strategy for the station to compete effectively with ITV (MW March 8, 2001).

Madden was responsible for the channel’s repositioning in 2002 and in charge of a number of high-profile programme launches and events, including EastEnders (working on its fourth weekly edition launch), Planet Earth, Life On Mars, Doctor Who and the broadcaster’s revamped Saturday night line-up.

She joined the corporation from Granada Sky Broadcasting, where she was marketing manager with responsibility for channels, including Granada Plus and Men & Motors.