Walker to take ITVSGE COO post

ITV Studios Global Entertainment has named its finance and operations director Duncan Walker as its first COO.

Walker will take up the newly created post after a six-month secondment in New York, where he oversaw the integration of US unscripted production group Leftfield Entertainment into the ITV fold.

Walker’s official title will be COO, ITVSGE and Rest of the World (ROW), respectively ITV Studios distribution business and production companies outside of the US and UK. ITV Studios is the international arm of UK broadcaster ITV.

The news comes after ITVSGE chairman Paul Buccieri decided to switch to A+E Networks, where he will be president of the A&E and History channels in the US. He remains with the company as it finds a replacement.

Walker’s duties will cover finance, operations, business development, HR, marketing, and legal and business affairs.

He will report to Maria Kyriacou, managing director of ITVSGE and ROW. He has been finance and operations director at ITVSGE for the past four years. Before that, he worked for several ITV companies such as Granada, Carlton and United Broadcasting.

“With more and more synergies between GE and ROW, it is the right time to appoint a visionary COO who can maximise the businesses’ potential,” said Kyriacou. “Duncan is a brilliant strategic operator with an impeccable track record. His in-depth knowledge and peerless leadership skills make him the perfect choice to spearhead our next exciting phase of growth.”

“This new role will allow me to strategically support the growth of both the distribution and ROW production businesses under one umbrella,” added Walker. “There are huge opportunities for us to develop and grow, and I am really looking forward to taking on this fantastic challenge.”