Granada Sky hires director of marketing

Granada Sky Broadcasting has appointed Ann Cook as marketing director, with responsibility for co-ordinating the launch of eight cable and satellite channels in October.

Cook, former head of marketing at TCC, was behind the repositioning of the children’s channel when it was renamed and rebranded with a new on and off-screen style.

She will oversee the setting up of an in-house marketing department to handle the launch, working closely with GSB’s joint backers – British Sky Broadcasting and Granada.

“Launching a raft of new channels proved too attractive to resist,” Cook says. “GSB has made it clear that the October launch is only the beginning of its positioning as one of the major players in cable and satellite.”

According to Sky marketing director designate Jim Hytner, marketing for the new channels will be developed jointly, to ensure presentation of the sister services is consistent.

Meanwhile, Laser Satellite & Cable executive sales director Andy Hawkins has appointed James Wildman from GMTV as sales controller. Wildman will be reporting directly to agency sales director Craig Nayman.

Hawkins is looking for one more sales controller, six account managers and a marketing manager.

GSB chief executive Stuart Prebble has appointed Rob Ovens as director of finance.

Ovens, a former finance director at LWT, joins from Carlton Communications. GSB’s management structure now comprises Cook, Ovens, Gerry Glover – who has been appointed managing director (commercial) and director of broadcasting Cherry Cole.