Simon Michaelides takes over as UKTV's chief marketing and innovation officer
Simon Michaelides has been promoted to UKTV's chief marketing and innovation officer following the departure of Zoë Clapp last week.
UKTV names Simon Michaelides new Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer
As chief marketing and communications officer, he will lead the marketing, consumer communications, social and online, media creative and innovation teams - alongside an area of transformative activity known as content and product funding. He will report to UKTV chief exec Marcus Arthur.
Arthur said: “With new brands, products and audiences an increasingly important driver of success at UKTV, I felt it was essential to evolve our marketing and innovation activity to ensure strong and consistent growth.”
“With ambitions to expand the reach of the company, in addition to marketing, this new role will play a key part in on-going innovation for BBC Studios Distribution in the UK. This includes UKTV’s Content and Product Funding team, as well as opening new commercial revenue streams and partnerships, essential to our future success in an increasingly competitive market. The depth and breadth of experience Simon brings to the role will help future-proof the company and I’m confident he will deliver great results.”
Michaelides moves up from his role as chief transformation officer at UKTV and BBC Studios UK, where he played an integral role in the integration and development of the combined UKTV and BBC studios business, post-acquisition.
Michaelides first joined UKTV as marketing director in 2012 - a role he held for over four years before he took on the role of chief commercial officer. Prior to that, he was director of consulting at Kantar Retail.
He will begin the new role from mid-December, taking over from Clapp who stepped down last week after 15 years with the broadcaster.
Clapp has not announced her next move, though the news arrives within the same year that BBC Studios won control over UKTV. The deal saw the BBC's content wing take ownership of seven of its ten free-to-air and pay-TV channels, including Gold and Dave. The deal was valued at £180m.