Brands controlled?
Freesat, Freesat HD and Freesat+.
What are your main priorities over the next 12 months?
To double Freesat sales and launch IPTV services onto the platform.
Agencies used?
MPG for media, Farm for creative and BIO for digital.
What are the main criteria you use when selecting an agency?
A good fit with the business, both in scale and ambition, but, most importantly, with the people on the account. They should become an extended part of the team, so you need to have an open relationship.
Any advice to agencies operating in an economic downturn?
Quantify what "value" means and build relationships with roster agencies to find creative ways of delivering it together. Also, avoid "marketing in a recession" seminars.
What role will media play in positioning the company in 2009/10?
Freesat is still a new brand, so we need to grow awareness. We will be using national and regional media to clearly and simply explain the real benefits and value Freesat offers in comparison to competitors. The football World Cup is big news and will be a tipping point for HD take-up.
Do you think ITV's contract rights renewal mechanism should be altered or scrapped?
It certainly needs to change. ITV still pulls in big audiences, but things have moved on significantly since 2003.
How has your career background prepared you for your current role?
Having worked agency-side, at a TV platform/broadcaster and for a small FMCG business, I've worked with a wide range of brilliant people and gained a breadth of experience that has proved invaluable.
Which medium can't you live without?
Television. Nothing else brings people together in the same way.
