Nine Network Perth MD and network programming executive David Mott has been named CEO of ITV Studios (ITVS) Australia, succeeding Anita Jacoby, who departed in August after two years in the job.
Mott will start in November, reporting to Maria Kyriacou, MD of ITV Studios Global Entertainment. Ray Wardrop, a former GM of the Seven Network's Perth channel, will succeed Mott on November 2.
ITV’s slate includes I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here, which has been renewed for 2016, The Chase and Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell.
Augustus Dulgaro, who had been acting CEO, has been given the newly created role of COO, ITV Studios Australia. He will continue as executive vice president, distribution for Asia Pacific for ITV Studios Global Entertainment.
Mott was chief programming officer at Network Ten from 1997 until 2012 where he commissioned hits such as Big Brother, Australian Idol and MasterChef. He quit after his commissioning role was reduced and a number of shows including Everybody Dance Now, The Shire and Being Lara Bingle rated poorly.
The well regarded Mott was one of the candidates to run the merged Endemol Shine Group until Shine Australia joint CEOs Mark and Carl Fennessy reversed their decision to move on.
Nine Entertainment CEO David Gyngell was gracious in his praise of Mott, saying, "He has played a crucial role driving the successful rebuilding of Nine in Perth these past two years following its acquisition by NEC from WIN. We are very grateful for his expert stewardship and wish him the very best.”
Kyriacou said: “David is an incredibly talented executive with unrivalled experience in production and broadcasting in Australia, coupled with a deep and detailed knowledge of viewers and hit programming. He is a fantastic leader with superb instincts, while Augustus has almost a decade of experience of leading ITVS GE’s Asia Pacific sales team to great success.”
Mott said: “ITV Studios has an incredible reputation globally and I look forward to playing my part in its continued success and growth.”
When she stepped down Jacoby said her exit was a consequence of “ITV plc restructuring its Australian leadership as a result of its increased foreign acquisitions,” but did not elaborate further.