#ITV Adds Former Discovery Executive Marjorie Kaplan to Board

U.K. TV giant ITV has added former Discovery top executive Marjorie Kaplan to its board of directors.

She will join the board as an independent non-executive director effective on Sept. 1, the firm said on Monday. Kaplan left the then-Discovery in 2016, well before its big deal that created Warner Bros. Discovery.

“Marjorie spent 20 years as a senior executive in the global media industry at Discovery where she oversaw dramatic growth at multiple major networks in the U.S., building new franchises and unlocking revenue opportunities across platforms, and then was responsible for strategy, coordination and execution of the international division’s global content activities across the portfolio worldwide,” ITV said. “Marjorie is American and has substantial experience in both the U.S. and Europe with a track record as a change agent, transforming and growing global brands and businesses, and building vibrant organizations.”

Kaplan currently serves as a professional mentor and head of faculty at Merryck & Co., a global firm offering experienced CEOs and top business leaders who help organizations “accelerate the impact of leadership.” She is also a non-executive director of German TV giant ProSiebenSat.1 Media and ArtDAI, a financial technology firm focused on fine art data, analytics and intelligence.

“Marjorie has exceptionally strong experience around content and audience strategy which will further strengthen the diverse mix of expertise and experience on the board,” said ITV chair Andrew Cosslett.

Said Kaplan: “This is a vital time in the media industry and an exciting moment to be joining ITV as it adapts to the changes in the business while maintaining its leadership position in production, broadcasting and streaming. I look forward to partnering with the board and executive team as the company’s strategic transformation continues to gain momentum.”

Last week, ITV reported lower first-half financials, citing a “challenging” advertising market and investments in its streaming service ITVX.