Cowell hires ex-Fremantle MD

Simon Jones, former managing director of Fremantle Music TV, has been hired by production company Syco as senior vice president, operations and international.

His new role gives him operational responsibility for international sales of TV formats and developing the business across all of Syco's artists and formats.

Syco was set up by X Factor judge Simon Cowell in 2003, and currently co-produces the programme, now in its third series.

In his previous role, Jones brokered the deals which created Pop Idol in the UK and American Idol in the US, struck the deal with Syco for production of The X Factor and helped secure Sharon Osborne as a judge for the show.




.