Abraham named as new chief of Channel 4

CHANNEL 4 yesterday named David Abraham as its new chief executive.

Abraham is currently chief executive of multi-channel broadcaster UKTV. A date has yet to be confirmed for him to take up the post.

He will replace Andy Duncan, who stepped down from the position in November last year.

Former BBC2 controller Jane Root, who is president of the Discovery Channel, was said to be among the front-runners for the role.

Abraham, 46, will be only the sixth chief executive since the channel began in 1982.

The others were Mark Thompson, who left C4 to return to take up the post of director general at the BBC where he had already spent the bulk of his career, Michael Jackson, Michael Grade and Jeremy Isaacs.

The post is thought to have a salary of around 400,000.

Abraham moved to TV after the early part of his career was spent in advertising. He was a founding partner and chief operating officer at leading ad and creative agency St Luke's.

He has been chief executive at UKTV since April 2007.

Burns said: "David is a rare commodity as a broadcaster, in that he has an exceptional track record as an innovative leader, both creatively and commercially.

"At all stages of his career he's led creative teams and commissioned creative output of the highest quality in a commercial environment. It is that experience, we believe, that so well qualifies him for the challenge of running a commercially-funded, public service broadcaster like Channel 4."

Acting chief executive Anne Bulford will continue to lead the management team until the new appointment begins.

Abraham said: "This is an exciting, if challenging, time to be working in the media. Innovation has been part of Channel 4's history and it will be at the heart of its future."

Last year, C4 negotiated with BBC Worldwide about a partnership to shore up its finances following difficulties due to the economic downturn.