Ex-Pulse MD wins int’l role at Zinc

UK-based Zinc Media Group has appointed the former MD of Pulse Films to work across its international strategy.

Roy Ackerman

Roy Ackerman has been named MD of the Films of Record label and director of international strategy at Zinc, which rebranded from Ten Alps following restructuring last year.

Ackerman is tasked with helping expand Films of Record’s operations whilst working with Zinc’s senior management team to grow the business in the US and internationally.

He was most recently MD at UK prodco Pulse and before that worked for celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s Fresh One Productions, working on shows such as Dream School and Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.

Before that he was creative director at Diverse Production, where he worked on programmes including Man vs Wild and Operatunity, prior to its acquisition by Zodiak Television.

Peter Bertram, chairman at Zinc, said Ackerman’s “experience, creativity, contacts and enthusiasm will be invaluable in developing both Films of Record and fast-tracking Zinc Media’s strategy of international growth in the TV business.”

Ackerman added: “Films of Record is an incredible brand, known for its powerful programmes. To be working internationally with Brook Lapping, Blakeway and Reef and the genuinely brilliant team of creative execs led by Fiona Stourton made the decision to accept an incredibly easy one. I feel confident that the group is on the brink of big things.”

Zinc has had a tumultuous couple of years, with CEO Mark Wood leaving last year after a shake-up at the factual-focused media group.

The prodco issued a profit warning in May saying that it expected its full-year results to be below expectations, prompting its shares to slide.

Prior to that, Ten Alps had acquired factual producer Reef in a reverse takeover at the same time as the UK indie group’s founder, Sir Bob Geldof, stepped down from the board.

It also raised £4.5m (US$6.24m) in a new funding round and restructured its debt, and subsequently invested in drama prodco Chrysalis Vision.

The firm refinanced in 2010 after recording a £13m loss in the first half of the year, when the UK government withdrew funding for its Teachers TV network, leaving it nursing a bank debt of £6.65m.