SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

Anna Mallett joined ITN in April 2019, overseeing one of the largest independent television production companies in the UK and the producer of live network news programming for ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

As well as its broadcast news division, ITN is also a market leader in factual programme-making, sports production, advertising production and business-to-business content.

Prior to joining ITN, Anna was Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director, Production of BBC Studios, a commercial subsidiary of the BBC.  As MD, Anna was responsible for the business and operational leadership of all in-house production areas within BBC Studios.

Anna was previously the programme director in the creation of BBC Studios Production as a commercial business. Other roles at the BBC have included CEO of BBC Studios and Post Production Ltd (now BBC Studioworks) and Controller of Business Strategy, responsible for the BBC’s overall commercial strategy. Before joining the BBC, Anna worked for seven years at the Boston Consulting Group in London, focusing on media and retail. She has an MBA from Harvard and a DPhil from Oxford.

David was appointed as the ITN CFOO in 2019 to oversee the finance function as well as several other business areas.

David initially trained and qualified as a Chartered Financial Analyst within the Corporate Finance function of PwC, which led to senior finance and investments roles with the Mergers and Acquisitions team of Bacardi Martini and the position of Head of Investment and Major Projects for the BBC.

He progressed to become the Chief Executive of one of the BBC’s main commercial subsidiaries, BBC Studioworks Ltd, a production facilities company which sells studio and post production services to all the major broadcasters and production companies including the likes of ITV, Channel 4, Sky, the BBC and Endemol Shine. Under David’s five year tenure, the company grew substantially in revenues and profit and became dividend paying for the first time.

Geoff Hill was appointed Editor of ITV News in September 2013. Prior to that Geoff was Editor of 5 News. He had rejoined ITN from CNN International, where he was Director of Coverage. Before this Geoff worked for ITN for nearly a decade from 2000 until 2009 where he held senior input and output positions at ITV News, rising to Programme Editor, with responsibility for the flagship News at Ten. He went on to launch and run the 24-hour sports news channel Setanta Sports News as Editor-in-Chief, developing a schedule from scratch and leading a team of nearly 60 people.

He began his career as a newspaper reporter on the Southwark News before moving into television to work on ITV’s London Tonight from 1993 to 2000.

Rachel was appointed acting editor/deputy editor of ITV News in 2018. Previously she was editor of 5 News. Before that she had been editor of ITV News London, as well as holding a number of senior editorial roles in ITV News. As head of home news, Rachel led the team which won a Royal Television Society award. She began her ITN career as a trainee, spending time at 5 News as part of its launch team before taking up a series of roles covering major stories in the UK and abroad for ITV News. Rachel also spent time in Russia as the BBC’s senior Moscow producer.

Ben de Pear is the Editor of Channel 4 News, produced by ITN for Channel 4. Ben was appointed to the role in July 2012, having joined Channel 4 News in 2005 as a Senior Foreign Producer, later becoming Head of Foreign News, where he led the programme’s investigation into the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war, prompting a UN investigation and global calls for a war crimes tribunal. This formed the basis of 2011’s award-winning Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields- produced by ITN for Channel 4.

Cait was appointed editor of 5 News in February 2018, having held the post of deputy editor for four years. Previously Cait was part of the Sky News team that won a Bafta for its coverage of the Soham murders in 2002,  and was a programme editor at ITV News for the relaunch of News at Ten in 2008, where she also worked on ITV’s Election 2010 programme and its Royal Wedding coverage in 2011.

Chris Shaw is the Editorial Director of ITN. He has been in television and radio for more than 25 years, starting as a news reporter and producer. He has held senior positions on every commercial news programme in the UK.

Most of his early journalistic career was spent at ITN where he was in turn the Home and Foreign news editor on Channel 4 News, Editor of News at Ten and the launch Editor of Channel Five News. He also devised and launched Big Breakfast News for Channel 4. In 1990 he became the first executive producer of ITN Factual which is the programme making arm of the news supplier. Chris has also done extensive field work in hostile environments such as Bosnia, Croatia, Iraq, Iran and Ethiopia.

Bevan joined ITN in 2014. Previously, he was responsible for the operational aspects, and Technology strategy of Sky Creative, part of BSkyB, following a broad strategic role within Sky’s Broadcast Technology team. Prior to that, Bevan was the Technical Launch Director for Sky News Arabia, based in Abu Dhabi and launched in the Spring of 2012.

Before joining BSkyB in 2003, Bevan worked as Engineering Support Manager at Orad UK, a real-time 3D graphics hardware/software company, responsible for the management of key customers across Europe. Prior to his time at Orad, he worked for the host broadcast at the Sydney Olympic Games, having started his career at the Seven Network in Australia

Solicitor James Scorer joined ITN in 1996 in the dual roles of Director of Business Affairs and Company Secretary. As such he is involved in all aspects of ITN’s business.

Previously James was a partner at media lawyers, Olswang.

Alexandra Standfast returned to ITN in January 2019 and is responsible for leading the HR function as well as providing strategic and operational direction to the ITN Senior Leadership Team, ensuring it actively contributes to business goals. She previously worked at the media giant, Viacom, where she held a number of senior HR roles integrating Channel 5 into the Viacom business and subsequently heading up the UK HR team as Group HR Director. Prior to that Alexandra spent five years at ITN partnering with the newsrooms to help deliver all components of people related strategy. Alexandra started her career at Hewlett Packard where she held a variety of varied roles across the portfolio.

Alastair joined ITN in 2016 after a long career in broadcasting and independent production. He is Director of Sport at ITN and Managing Director of World Athletics Productions, ITN’s joint venture with World Athletics. An early career as a producer at BBC News & Current Affairs, BBC Sport and Sky News was followed by 15 years at IMG where he rose to be Executive Vice President of IMG and Chief Operating Officer of IMG Media worldwide. He launched SNTV and his programming credits include BAFTA, RTS, Emmy and Peabody award winning shows in factual, sports and entertainment.

Beatrice joined ITN in 2018 and during 2019 was given an expanded remit in her role as Finance Director, covering ITN’s newsrooms and technology function, in addition to ITN Productions. Beatrice qualified as a chartered accountant at PwC and began her career in the media industry at the BBC, before taking up roles at  United International Pictures (Universal Studios and Paramount Pictures) and production company Fremantle. During her tenure at Fremantle she held a variety of senior finance roles including FD of the UK TV production business and Global Operational Finance Director,  overseeing financial reporting, business planning and investment appraisal across the international television production, distribution and commercial businesses.

Sara joined ITN in 2020. She was previously Strategy Director at ViacomCBS Networks International, working across Channel 5, MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. Sara started her career in telecoms and media strategy consulting at Analysys Mason.

Lisa began her career in journalism at Time Out Amsterdam, going on to work in reporting and editing roles on a range of specialist media titles spanning PR, music, marketing and advertising. After working as a freelance writer for national newspapers and magazines, Lisa joined UK TV industry bible Broadcast magazine where she enjoyed a ten year career in a variety of roles, including editor, a post she held for 7 years. Lisa was then appointed as Festival Director for the Edinburgh Television Festival, boosting the Festival’s global profile, attendees and reputation as the biggest and most prestigious media event in the UK. She joined ITN in January 2020 and is responsible for internal and external communications, alongside public affairs.