ITV names Rufus Radcliffe to oversee marketing and research

ITV has poached Channel 4 marketer Rufus Radcliffe to take the newly created role of group marketing and research director.

Radcliffe will lead ITV’s marketing strategy and brand development across all platforms. He will oversee the viewer and trade marketing teams, media planning, the in-house creative department ITV Creative and on-air continuity, alongside research and customer insight.

The key appointment is one of the last to be made in the broadcaster’s overhaul of management undertaken by CEO Adam Crozier. It formalises the research remit, which was already overseen by the marketing position.

Former group marketing director David Pemsel and insight and research chief Chad Wollen stepped down in July last year. Wollen reported to Pemsel.

The company has drawn up a “transformation plan” intended to diversify revenue streams by focusing more on developing a digital strategy and by creating formats and programming that can be sold overseas.

ITV overhauled the commercial and online divisions in January under ITV managing director of commercial and online Fru Hazlitt.

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Radcliffe will report to Peter Fincham, ITV director of television. He says: “Continuing to build and develop the success of ITV’s brands is a core part of our ongoing Transformation Plan. Rufus will have a pivotal role to play and is an exciting addition to our team.”

ITV has enjoyed a resurgence of advertising revenue growth in the past year but has warned of a slowdown as the growth comparatives become tougher.

Radcliffe is currently marketing controller at Channel 4 and has been with the broadcaster or 10 years. As with Crozier and ITV’s previous group marketing director, David Pemsel, he is a former advertising agency manager with stints at JWT and McCann Erickson.

ITV’s lead advertising agency is BBH.