Allen to resign as ITV chief
Scottish accountant to step down next week
Charles Allen, the chief executive of ITV, will resign next week after two
and a half years at the head of the UK’s largest commercial terrestrial
broadcaster, it has been confirmed
The Guardian reported that the 49-year-old Scottish accountant told
friends that ‘he will offer to stand down at an ITV board meeting on Monday,
with the intention of overseeing the transition to a new chief executive’.
Allen will leave ITV some time in the New Year, shortly after his 50th
birthday.
Allen is admired for overseeing the creation of ITV plc through the merger of
Granada and Carlton, but has struggled with declining advertising ratings and
ratings at the company’s flagship channel, ITV1.
His decision means the race is now on for a replacement for one of the UK’s
most high-profile jobs.
Contenders are expected to include Dawn Airey, managing director of channels
at BSkyB, and Andy Duncan, the former BBC executive who is now chief executive
of Channel 4.