Hytner will take over from John Hardie as the marketing and commercial
director at ITV in September. He will assume responsibility for on- and
off-air marketing for the channel, in addition to managing relationships
with the advertising industry.
A review was expected after Stuart Prebble came on board as the chief
executive three months ago. Now it is believed that Hytner will look at
the arrangements in the autumn.
HHCL & Partners handles creative and Starcom Motive has the media
account.
Mother handles the pounds 30 million ONdigital account, including its
relaunch as ITV Digital and also the launch of the new pay-TV channel
ITV Sport.
The agency's first work for the brand breaks this week.
An ITV spokesperson said: "As the marketing director, Jim will look at
everything."
Hardie is quitting ITV to move to Walt Disney Television International,
where he will take up the post of managing director, branded television
in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He unveiled the rebranding of ITV
to ITV1 at the launch of its autumn schedule last week, following the
decision to rebrand ONdigital as ITV Digital.
Hytner claims the ITV job is "the one job" that could have tempted him
to leave. He said: "I am looking forward to developing the ITV portfolio
of brands, but hope that Channel 5 continues to prosper."
After joining the Channel 5 board in 1998, Hytner took responsibility
for all aspects of marketing and communication; before that he was the
marketing director at BSkyB.
Dawn Airey, Channel 5's chief executive, may restructure the marketing
department in light of Hytner's decision to move to ITV.
Paul Leather, the head of press and corporate affairs at Channel 5,
said: "We have a few months to sort it out. It is likely that both
internal and external candidates will be considered."
A likely contender could be David Bainbridge, who was promoted to deputy
marketing director from head of marketing when Hytner carried out a
restructure a year ago.
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