GroupM hires Foster to lead foray into content creation

by Isabella Piasecka, Media Week 15-Jan-08, 10:00

LONDON - GroupM is poised to move into content creation in the UK, with the appointment of Fox TV executive Richard Foster as the new commercial director of its UK Entertainment division.

Foster, previously senior vice-president at Fox TV Studios, has been brought in to develop GroupM UK’s expertise in the funding, creation and distribution of content, as well as creating new financing models and commercial partnerships with companies across the broadcast, entertainment, sport and media industries.

He will report to GroupM UK chief operating officer Nick Theakstone, working closely with GroupM Entertainment EMEA director Kate Marsh and GroupM Entertainment’s global president, Peter Tortorici.

Before joining Fox TV Studios, Foster ran a content distribution and consultancy company working with Hollywood studios, including CBS Paramount and Warner Bros. Before that, he was a business development director at OMD UK.

He said: “I’ve worked within the media industry before at Omnicom and then in the content world, first independently and then at Fox TV Studios, so this is the perfect role to combine my previous experience and also to work with a market leader in the field.”

GroupM, parent company to WPP media agencies MediaCom, MindShare and Mediaedge:cia, launched GroupM Entertainment in North America, before setting up a European base.

Meanwhile, last year, GroupM China partnered with FremantleMedia for the media agency’s first major foray into television production, for a new reality TV series called Soccer Prince.

Theakstone said that Foster’s appointment was part of a drive to establish expertise in specific countries, starting with the UK.

He said: “We are really excited about Richard’s appointment,he is the perfect individual given his past experience to help all the GroupM agencies to make this constantly talked about opportunity a reality.”