Channel 4 is close to appointing a new sales director to handle its £1bn-a-year TV and online advertising sales business, with a shortlist thought to include candidates such as UKTV senior executive Julia Jordan and Omnicom media veteran John Overend.
The Channel 4 chief executive, David Abraham, is understood to have whittled down a long list – which is thought to have included heavy-hitters from a range of backgrounds including senior digital agency and newspaper executives – to six candidates.
It is understood Channel 4 cast the net wide to break the mould of the typical sales chief found at the big broadcasters – incumbent Andy Barnes stepped down after nearly 20 years at Channel 4 in March – however TV ad revenue is so critical a decision was made to focus on candidates with core TV trading skills.
There are now understood to be two internal candidates in the frame – Channel 4's long-serving head of digital sales Errol Baran, and Mike Parker, the head of strategic sales – as part of a list also thought to include Jordan and Overend, the head of Omnicom's joint-buying division Opera.
The remaining two positions are less clear although tipped prospects include Yahoo UK's managing director of sales James Wildman – who headed IDS, the now-defunct TV sales house that handled the contracts for Virgin Media Television and UKTV – and two OMD executives, UK chief executive Steve Williams and managing director Jonathan Allan.
Shortlisted candidates have been through a formal interview process with executive search firm JCA, where the process is being led by partner Fleur Evans. Abraham is believed to be holding second interviews with them.
It is understood the shortlist is to be cut to two candidates – possibly next week – with a final decision likely to come by the end of June or early next month at the latest.
The decision on a new sales chief is critical to Channel 4 – as well as for Abraham's reputation – as the broadcaster is completely dependent on the advertising market for its livelihood.
A question remains over how much the new sales director will receive. Last year Barnes was paid a basic salary of more than £600,000, and a bonus of almost £100,000.
However, his long tenure and a pledge by Channel 4's new management to rein in salaries means the new appointment is not likely to be paid this amount.
Channel 4 is on target to take about £1bn in ad sales in this year's key TV trading season in the runup to Christmas with media agencies over advertiser commitments for 2012.
The broadcaster recently solved a dispute with UKTV over a clause in its 10-year deal to handle the TV and online ad sales for pay-TV operator jointly owned by the BBC and Virgin Media.
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