TWI has appointed Carlton Content’s former commercial director Martin Baker to take on a similar role at the independent production company.
His responsibilities will include overseeing all TWI’s contractual relationships with broadcasters and co-production partners when he starts next month (Nov 2004).
Baker, 44, will also work closely with Senior Vice President – Production and Business Development, Alastair Waddington, and its Director of Programming and Production – Sport, Graham Fry, in relation to all TWI’s production business, which amounts to nearly 9,000 hours a year. And he will have input into the business development arena overseen by Waddington.
The new appointment reflects TWI’s growing activities across not only its traditional heartland of sports programming, but also in the entertainment and factual fields. This expansion into new areas has seen TWI reap a clutch of international awards for its acclaimed In Colour documentary strand and been the catalyst for burgeoning international sales of entertainment formats like I’d Do Anything, which has currently been sold or optioned in 24 countries. TWI was also recently appointed host broadcaster to the 15th Doha Asian Games 2006, in a joint venture with HBS.
Alastair Waddington said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Martin aboard. He brings more than 15 years’ experience operating at the highest commercial level in television production to TWI and will be a valuable asset as we grow the business even further.’
Martin Baker said: ‘I am thrilled to be joining TWI, already the international market leader in sports production, but also entering a really dramatic phase of growth in other areas. TWI being jointly appointed host broadcaster for the Doha Asian Games has got to represent one of the most exciting times for any production company given that the event will be the biggest OB the world has ever seen. I am delighted to be a part of it.’
As Commercial Director at Carlton, Baker was responsible for major deals for UK and international co-production, including a $20m international production fund with PBS. Baker was previously Controller of Business Affairs at Carlton, and before that Controller of Legal and Business Affairs at Central TV. Most recently he helped integrate Carlton functions and personnel into ITV plc. For 10 years he chaired ITV’s Talent and Rights Strategy Group and also helped create PIRs Ltd (now re-named the Producers’ Rights Agency), the joint venture of ITV and PACT.
For further information contact:
Madeleine Pallas
PR Manager for European Operations, IMG/TWI
tel: +44 (0) 20 8233 7425/ mob: +44 (0) 7973 326 422
mpallas@imgworld.com