Mark White, Five's interim chief executive, is itching to make his mark on the broadcaster. Executive sales director for the past four years, he was thrust into the top job - and the media spotlight - last month, when the surprise news broke of Jane Lighting's departure to make way for ITV global content boss Dawn Airey.
Despite being given the reins for a year at most - Airey is under contract with ITV until the end of April 2009 - White insists he has to have the power to make changes at Five.
He says: "I don't think there is any way I can do anything other than treat the job as a fully fledged role and as if I am doing it permanently.
"If we waited until Dawn arrives to do things, we would be left behind. I want to do the opposite, if anything, and accelerate some stuff, with a lot of new ventures well along the way."
Airey is also expected to make major changes, returning to the channel she once vowed to be about "more than football, films and fucking".
Taking charge
But White has been unable to speak to her about Five's future due to her gardening leave restrictions. "Potentially, I won't be able to speak to Dawn until she arrives, which is bizarre, but I respect the position that ITV is putting her in."
Gerhard Zeiler, chief executive of Five's parent company RTL, asked if White would take charge in the meantime.
"Was it something I was expecting, was I ready for it? Well, yes and no," admits White, who was last called on by bosses to take charge of the launch of Five's two digital channels - Five Life and Five US - in 2006.
"I'm plugged into most things at Five after running the multi- channel projects, which gave me a broader understanding than the one I gained from my commercial side over the years."
White says his colleagues needed a "clear sign" of how to progress after Lighting's departure and the subsequent resignation of Five's managing director of content, Lisa Opie. He says: "I have spent most of the past few weeks dealing with internal issues. One of the reasons I hope I am right for the job is that I have strong relationships with people around the company."
The most common sentiment expressed about White by contemporaries is: "Whitey is a top bloke." White laughs, then responds seriously: "Is that a full version of my character? No, the people who know me best work with me here and see all sides of my character. I am honest and direct, so that comes across."
He says he is "gobsmacked" by his success, but modestly adds that the only difference between his job and that of the receptionist is "more responsibility".
But, despite admiring White's character, rival broadcasters are more critical of Five's commercial achievements. One sales director says: "You could take Five away and what would people miss? CSI or Grey's Anatomy would be bought by someone else."
White admits that the challenges for the broadcaster are multiple and that Five needs to attract more audience loyalty.
The main channel is expected to be refreshed later this year and new programming includes the 1970s format Superstars, Dangerous Adventures For Boys, Paul Merton In India and action adventure series Unbreakable.
White says commissions can be more "brand defining" than acquisitions, but that they have not yet brought in Five's highest audiences.
Business front
"We need to try to display what is inside this building and our company's culture on the outside," he adds. "We do on the business front, but the fun side needs to come to the screen, and you will see more of that over the next six months."
White highlights Five's new UEFA Cup deal and a boost to 2009's programming budget as examples of Five's ability to ramp up its schedule and of RTL's commitment to the broadcaster.
Digital is another key investment area. Five is about to launch its new video-on-demand service Demand Five, the first phase of Five's web revamp. White says the site needs to be formed of "vertical-led specialist areas that people will buy into from a commercial point of view and from a user's point of view".
Commercially, Five still has a lot to prove. The broadcaster has hyped its 55% audience gains on rebranded digital channel Fiver and its 2007 Neighbours coup.
But agencies claim Neighbours is not bringing in new consumers to the rest of the schedule and lacks additional appeal to advertisers.
"Programming and content are central to the commercial side," says White. "Over the past five years, we have over-delivered on revenue share compared to audience performance. The breadth of the schedule is much stronger than five years ago - and we will continue to focus on that."
Speculation is rife about the changes Airey could make when she finally arrives, including bringing in new senior management.
But White is confident of his future in the company. "I will stay here for as long as I am making a difference," he says. "I've been here for 12 years, which is the whole of Five's life. I think that is significant."
CV
2008: Interim chief executive, Five
2005-2006: Launch head of digital channels Five Life and Five US
2004: Executive director of sales, Five
2000: Deputy sales director, Channel 5
1996: Sales controller, Channel 5
1992: Launch team, UK Gold
1988: Sales assistant, Thames Television
Family: Wife Julia and two "cheeky chimps": Jason, 12, and Ethan, seven
Car: Audi A5 Quattro coupe
Mobile phone: Sony Ericsson W890i
Desert island media: The Sun, Radio 5 Live, Sky Sports News
Role model: Greg Dyke
WHITE ON ...
Media agencies: I feel sorry for agencies as there is a revolving door of winning business. It means they are forever undercutting each other to win business and it will implode. Agencies come to the broadcasters and try to negotiate their way out of it and we are putting ourselves in a downwards cycle.
The TV ad market: We have to be careful that we don't talk the industry down ourselves. At this time, we should encourage people to advertise their way out of the credit crunch. TV advertising is the most effective way of delivering value back to the economy.
Dawn Airey: I think she has missed being here. She is an amazing person - driven, full of energy, gutsy and intelligent. I think those qualities are reflected in the way she works, and she was part of the development of Five's culture.
Five's progress: Digital TV has put more competition in this marketplace and Five has grown from nothing to 6 or 7% of viewing. The challenge now is to diversify and grow as a family of channels.