CNN appoints Owen Wyatt to lead UK advertising sales and drive branded content partnerships
1 October 2015, London: CNN International Commercial has appointed Owen Wyatt as Head of UK Advertising Sales to lead CNN’s proposition to UK-based brands and agencies.
As head of CNN International’s UK sales team, Wyatt will work with clients and agencies to develop bespoke multi-platform solutions, leveraging the network’s broad range of TV, online and mobile platforms and products. He will also lead the strategy for CNN’s commercial footprint in the UK, Netherlands and Finland with a focus on bringing new branded content, digital and multi-platform international solutions.
Wyatt moves from a previous role in CNN International’s Content Sales and Partnerships team, where he was integral in repositioning CNN’s global content sales offering and helping secure CNN International’s first digital content partnerships. A former Reuters and Sky Sports journalist, Wyatt also headed up news and sports content at Base79, one of the largest YouTube Multi Channel Network outside of North America, where he gained extensive digital sales experience.
“We are very excited about Owen taking the leadership over our UK business. In a sophisticated trading environment like the UK advertising market, where success is measured by smart multi-platform content solutions, Owen’s appointment makes perfect sense,” said Petra Malenicka, Senior Vice President, Advertising Sales, Europe and the Americas. “A digital native, commercial leader with an impressive track record, and an excellent ambassador for the CNN brand, Owen has all the assets to drive our business forward.”
Wyatt is also joined in the UK sales operation by Account Director Lucy Ryall, who has previously led CNN’s advertising sales in CIS, Southern Europe and Turkey. CNN International Commercial group is also ramping up its digital operation with the appointment of Stelios Tourikis as Western Europe Digital Account Director. Tourikis reports into Rob Bradley, appointed earlier this year as Director, Digital Advertising Revenue and Data.
“CNN’s unrivalled scale and reach across all platforms gives us a strong position in our fast-changing industry,” said Wyatt. “Combining our global TV operation with a major investment in programmatic and digital branded content capabilities enables CNN to create compelling offerings for brands and reach a highly sought-after demographic. I look forward to working closely with agencies and advertisers on dynamic and creative solutions that deliver tangible benefits through engaging and inspiring content.”
Wyatt will be reporting into Petra Malenicka.
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About Owen Wyatt
Wyatt joined CNN in 2014 from Base79, where he was Head of News, Sports and Programming. In this role, he developed Base79’s news and sport business, as well as building an in-house team of content producers focused solely on YouTube, launching six original channels.
Prior to Base79, Owen was Head of Video at Reuters, where he retained and developed commercial partnerships with global news broadcasters, negotiated rights, launched new products and defined content strategy for all multimedia products across news, sport and entertainment.
He was also Global Editor for Sports Video at Reuters, working with over 700 broadcast, online and mobile clients worldwide. Before Reuters, Wyatt worked in production for Sky Sports, delivering over 500 live broadcasts to UK audiences across a range of sports.
About CNN International
CNN’s portfolio of news and information services is available in six different languages across all major TV, internet and mobile platforms reaching more than 395 million households around the globe. CNN International is the number one international TV news channel according to all major media surveys across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific region and Latin America and has an increased presence in the U.S. with its recent launch on CNNgo. Over the years it has won multiple prestigious awards around the world for its journalism, including most recently the Asian Television Award Cable & Satellite Network and Channel of the Year, and is a two-time winner of Royal Television Society News Channel of the Year. CNN Digital is a top network for online news, mobile news and social media. CNN has 41 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates worldwide through CNN Newsource. CNN International is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.