Five's Kandola joins ITV to oversee its acquistions

by Joe Lepper, Brand Republic 16-Nov-05, 15:55

LONDON - ITV has poached Five's director of acquisitions Jay Kandola after less than a year in the post to take the same role at the broadcaster, marking its second senior hire in the last two days.

Her portfolio will include acquisitions across ITV's channel portfolio in a role that has a direct reporting line to ITV's director of television Simon Shaps.

Before joining Five earlier this year, she was responsible for acquisitions at Channel 4, during which time she commissioned some of its most popular shows including 'The Simpsons', 'Lost' and 'Desperate Housewives'.

The appointment follows yesterday's appointment of Alison Sharman, who was the BBC's controller of of children's programming, to be director of factual and daytime television.

Shaps said: "In recent months, we have seen how the right series can break through to become huge hits and we are delighted to have the person responsible for bringing to the UK two huge shows like 'Desperate Housewives' and 'Lost' at ITV."

Prior to joining Channel 4 in 1998, Kandola worked at the BBC where she held a number of roles before moving to programme acquisitions.

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