New Board appointments for Channel 4

Ofcom has today announced the appointment of five new non-executive directors to the Board of Channel 4 Television Corporation.

Tom Adeyoola

Tom is a technology entrepreneur with 25 years’ experience in new media, disruptive technology and business strategy. Tom brings experience in the media and entertainment business through his roles at Filmbank Distributors and Inspired Gaming Group. He launched Metail, a 3D and fashion AI scaleup. Tom has also served on charity, non-profit, high-growth company, independent school and public advisory boards. He is currently co-founder of non-profit Extend Ventures which diversifies access to finance for underrepresented founders.

Alex Burford

Alex is a record label executive with 15 years’ experience and has been the Managing Director at Warner Records UK since 2022. Alex is the youngest Managing Director of any frontline major record label in the UK and was previously the General Manager of Black Butter – a joint venture with Sony Music. He has worked with some of the biggest artists in the world, including Dua Lipa, Liam Gallagher and PinkPantheress.

Sebastian James

Seb is the CEO of Boots and has a long career working on household brands and FTSE companies including Dixons Carphone, Silverscreen and Mothercare. Seb is also an experienced non-executive director and has served on the board of Direct Line Insurance Group since 2014, Modern Art Oxford and Save the Children and is currently a trustee of English Heritage.

Dame Annette King

Annettehas worked in the advertising industry for 30 years and is currently the Global Marketing Practice Lead at Accenture Song. Previously she was the CEO of Publicis Groupe UK, where she was responsible for the transformation and growth of multiple media, creative, PR, design, health and B2B businesses. Until 2017, Annette was CEO of Ogilvy UK having previously been CEO and Chair of OgilvyOne, joining the agency after eight years at Wunderman. She chairs the Advertising Association and is a member of the UK Investment Council, representing the creative industries. Between 2018 and 2021 she chaired the Creative Industries Trade & Investment Board (CITIB) and was also a Board Director at London First.

Debbie Wosskow OBE

Debbie is a leading UK entrepreneur with over 25 years in the digital economy. She previously founded and scaled to exit, Love Home Swap and AllBright. Debbie is an Investor and Co-Chair of The Better Menopause, and an advisor to McKinsey & Company and Omaze. She serves on the Boards of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, The Mayor of London’s Business Board and The Rose Review into Female Entrepreneurship.

The appointments were approved by the Rt Hon Lucy Frazer MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

Ofcom is required under the Broadcasting Act 1990 to appoint non-executive members to the Channel 4 Board, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State.

Notes:

1. The recruitment search was run by executive search agency Russell Reynolds.
2. The recruitment panel was chaired by Lord Grade of Yarmouth.  The other panel members were Sir Ian Cheshire (Chair of Channel 4), Elizabeth Watkins and Baroness Usha Prashar.