White takes over from Lighting at Five

Five executive director of sales Mark White (pictured) has been named interim chief executive at the broadcaster, following the resignation of Jane Lighting. He will lead the broadcaster until new chairman and chief executive joins, which could be up to a year.

Dawn Airey’s decision to return to Five was revealed on Tuesday (April 29) after she resigned from ITV. The move effectively ousted Lighting, who spent five years as chief executive. Lighting will leave the broadcaster this week.

Airey, managing director of global content at ITV, was in post just eight months and promoted to the board earlier this year. She had been tipped as a possible successor to executive chairman Michael Grade.

It is understood that she will rejoin Five in May next year at the latest. Airey first joined Five at launch as programmes director, and was chief executive between 2000 and 2003. She left to join BSkyB, leaving the satellite broadcaster for start-up TV company Iostar, where she was chief executive. She quit Iostar just days after she arrived in April last year following concerns over its finances and funding. The business has subsequently gone into liquidation.

White has held the executive director of sales post since 2004, replacing Nick Milligan, who left for Sky. 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.