Rupert Howell Appointed Managing Director Of ITV Brand And Commerical

ITV has announced the appointment of Rupert Howell as Managing Director, ITV Brand and Commercial. Howell will have responsibility for development of the ITV brand in all its forms and ITV’s commercial delivery. The current sales and marketing operations will report to him.
John Cresswell said: "Rupert is widely regarded as one of the most talented advertising executives working in the industry today and it’s a real coup for ITV to have attracted someone of his calibre. We remain a business that is primarily advertising funded and Rupert’s role in leading the teams that generate this revenue across all our businesses is absolutely crucial to our growth strategy."
Howell said: "I have long been fascinated by the media world in general and ITV in particular. ITV has been intertwined with my advertising career, both as a client and as the medium that carried most of my agency’s most famous and successful work (Maxell, Tango, First Direct, Ronseal, Pot Noodle, Egg). The opportunity to be part of an extraordinary team that is determined to turn around the UK’s most important commercial medium was too tempting to resist."
Michael Grade, Executive Chairman of ITV said: "I was determined to assemble the most formidable team in UK broadcasting, and we identified Rupert as the ideal candidate to lead our brand and commercial development into the new era for ITV. We are delighted he has agreed to join us."
Howell, 50, has enjoyed a successful career in the advertising industry having founded and led Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury, Campaign’s 'Agency of the 90s'. This was sold to Chime Communications plc in 1997, where he became CEO. Latterly, he was President and Regional Director EMEA & Chairman UK and Ireland Group of McCann Erickson, the world’s largest advertising agency. He was President of the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) in 2000/2001 and of the EACA (European Association of Communications Agencies) in 2006/2007.
His appointment completes the line up of the executive team brought together by ITV’s Executive Chairman Michael Grade. He will work alongside Dawn Airey (Managing Director of Global Content); Carolyn Fairbairn (Group Development and Strategy Director); Mark Gallagher (Director of Group Corporate Affairs), Jeff Henry (Managing Director of ITV Consumer) and Simon Shaps (Director of Television), reporting to Chief Operating Officer, John Cresswell.
Rupert Howell will start at ITV on 1 November.
(DS)