ITN Productions strengthens TV Production leadership team

Ian Rumsey appointed as Director, TV Production

Chris Shaw takes on Creative Director role

ITN Productions has announced two changes to its expanding TV Production business to enhance its leadership team.

Ian Rumsey is to lead and manage the TV team as newly appointed Director, TV Production.

Chris Shaw will take on a new role of Creative Director, focussing upon driving the creative direction of TV production.

Ian, who has been Head of Topical Programmes since joining ITNP in 2013, will continue to drive the genre which will merge with current affairs. Under his management ITNP's topical team has become a huge success, delivering major series for ITV including After the News and Caught on Camera, live programmes for Channel 4 including overnight election coverage and a raft of documentaries and live programming for Channel 5. In his new role Ian will take over the leadership of TV Production working with Head of International Programming Ian Russell, Head of Factual Will Smith and Chris Shaw. Prior to joining ITN Productions Ian was Editor of Daybreak and Head of Output of ITV News which included programme editing the BAFTA award-winning News At Ten and overseeing the service's 2010 election coverage.

Chris first joined ITN Productions as Editorial Director in 2011 and was instrumental in growing the TV business from a small scale documentary producer making less than 20 hours of programming per year into a thriving and diverse TV operation currently producing 700 hours of TV year for UK and international broadcasters. He has amassed an incredible tally of 45 prestigious national and international awards for ITNP programmes. The Children on the Frontline project alone, which followed Hala and her three children from the frontline in Aleppo to a new life in Germany, has received more than 20 accolades since 2014 when the first film was broadcast on Channel 4. This includes an Emmy, an International Emmy, two BAFTAs and a Peabody award. The cinematic version of the film, Watani: My Homeland was nominated for an Oscar in 2017 in the Documentary Short Subject category. Other awards include an International Emmy for Escape from Isis and a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for the Dispatches documentary Sri Lanka's Killing Fields.

Ian and Chris will take up their new roles from April 3, 2018.

Mark Browning, Group MD, ITN Productions, said: As Head of Topical Programmes Ian has established ITNP as the UK leader in current affairs, live and topical factual. His programmes span a broad range of topics and styles but all consistently reflect and tap into the mood of the nation. I look forward to seeing Ian lead the TV Production team from strength to strength.

Mark added: Chris' impact on ITNP and his role in building its success cannot be overestimated. He is a giant of the industry who remains integral to our team and will continue to bring creativity and innovation to our output.

Ian said: I'm delighted to be taking on this new role and excited by the challenges which lie ahead. It's an honour to work with such a brilliant, focussed and talented team and to build on the success we've had so far. I'm really looking forward to helping ITN Productions continue to grow and flourish and do what we do best. We aim to exceed the expectations of broadcasters as well as surpassing our own ambitions.

Chris said: After twenty years in senior management I'm keen to focus on the creative part of our job making brilliant high-rating and award-winning content and building on all the success we've achieved at ITN Productions.

These changes follow two other recent senior hires at ITN Productions: true crime specialist Anne Paterno joined the US-based team as Executive Producer before Christmas and earlier this month Jess Orr, formerly at betty, was appointed Executive Producer/Development Executive bringing more than 20 years of experience in factual entertainment and features programming.

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