UKTV gets new chief executive

Owners of UKTV, BBC Worldwide and Virgin Media Television, and UKTV shareholders have appointed David Abraham as its new chief executive officer.

Abraham 43, joins UKTV in April from Discovery Networks USA where, as executive vice president and general manager TLC and Discovery Home, he oversees all content investment strategy and execution.

Reporting to the UKTV board, Abraham will be responsible for the growth and development of UKTV, and determine for opportunities expanding the company.

Malcolm Wall, chief executive, content, Virgin Media, said, “David has outstanding strategic and leadership skills. His strong relationship building ability, sense of purpose and direction, will be invaluable in this high profile role. His appointment represents a major opportunity to move an already very successful organisation through the next phase of its development and growth.”

Since joining TLC in April 2005, Abraham has re-launched the channel, resulting to date in eleven consecutive months of year-on–year share gains. The channel is distributed to 92 million US homes and is the sister network to Discovery Channel. It is also the client of the BBC’s production unit in New York, producing shows like What Not To Wear, Honey We’re Killing The Kids and Moving Up.

Prior to TLC, Abraham worked as head of networks and marketing at Discovery Europe, then UK General Manager. Before Discovery, he was chief operating officer at advertising agency St Luke’s.

Abraham said: “Dick Emery and his team have built a formidable strategic portfolio at UKTV. I am excited to have been given the opportunity to succeed him, to now lead that talented team and to prepare the business for its next stages of competitiveness, innovation and growth. It’s going to be both fascinating and fun to take such great assets and focus them towards the future challenges of the marketplace.”

Dick Emery retired in November after eight years. UKTV chief operating officer John Keeling has been acting as chief executive in the interim.