STV's Top Team Strengthened

Television production in Scotland is due for change as STV Productions reveals changes within its top team.
STV Productions has announced the appointment of Gary Chippington as Head of Entertainment, the promotion of Wendy Rattray to Creative Director and the promotion of Michael McAvoy to Head of Documentaries.
Gary Chippington, whose credits include Argumental, Bill Bailey's Comics Choice and Piers Morgan's You Can't Fire Me I'm Famous, joins STV from his own production company, Electric Eel Media. Previously, Gary worked at BBC Scotland where he was Series Producer and then Creative Director of Comedy and Entertainment. Prior to this, Gary was Head of Popular Factual at Tiger Aspect; Head of Factual Entertainment at Zeppotron and Executive Producer of Comedy and Entertainment at Endemol Scotland.
Based in the London office, Gary joins the business this week and will be responsible for all aspects of STV Productions' entertainment portfolio.
Wendy Rattray, who has worked at STV Productions as Executive Producer of Daytime and Factual Entertainment for almost three years, has been promoted to the role of Creative Director.
Wendy has held a number of senior posts for various production companies and broadcasters including Channel 4, Endemol, Talkback and Lion before returning to Scotland to work for the BBC.
Her credits include The Dark Side of Fame with Piers Morgan; Beachcomber Cottage, two series of Celebrity Big Brother and Big Brother II and III.
Wendy has been responsible for the four series and celebrity version of the hugely successful ratings winner Antiques Road Trip for BBC2 during her time at STV Productions.
Wendy is based at STV's HQ in Glasgow and in her new role will provide support to the Director of Content with regards the strategic development of STV Productions and will be responsible for daytime, factual entertainment and features.
Michael McAvoy has been with STV Productions for three years and in that time has headed up the drive to produce more Branded content for STV, whilst also being Executive Producer on Walking the Amazon for Discovery and FIVE, Tobin - A Portrait of a Serial Killer for ITV, Born Fighting with Senator James Webb for STV, UTV and the Smithsonian Channel and In Search of Sherlock Holmes for HISTORY.
Prior to this Michael worked for Granada, ITV, Imago Productions and Mentorn Scotland.
Michael, who has responsibility for all areas of documentary development and production, is based at STV's HQ in Glasgow.
Commenting, Alan Clements, Director of Content for STV said: "Gary's appointment and the promotion of Wendy and Michael significantly strengthens the top team at STV Productions and provides a great platform for us to achieve our aim of doubling our turnover by 2015."
Other key members of the top team at STV Productions include Liam Hamilton, Deputy Head of Content and Margaret Enefer, Head of Drama at STV Productions.
STV Productions is one of the UK's leading content businesses, with ambitious plans for growth and expansion in the UK and overseas.
The company has a record of success across a range of genres including drama, factual and entertainment, producing a wide range of programmes for a variety of networks.
(BMcC)