Lion ups trio to lead genres

All3Media-owned indie Lion Television has promoted three long-serving execs as part of a senior management reshuffle.

The newly created roles – director of factual, director of entertainment and director of specialist factual – will see the promoted staff take increased responsibility for the management of their genres, working with the MDs in the strategic development of Lion Television’s domestic and international business.

Donna Clark is promoted to director of factual after six years at the firm. Her credits during that period include the series Young Soldiers for BBC3, Transplant for BBC1, Sixteen Kids and Counting for Channel 4 and the forthcoming BBC2 series Kew on a Plate with Raymond Blanc.

Meanwhile, Simon Welton becomes director of entertainment after joining Lion in 2008 as entertainment executive. He has created a slate of factual entertainment formats, including Sexy Beasts (BBC3 and A&E) – the prosthetics dating show that has become an international format with sales in the US, China, Germany, Korea and France.

In addition, Lion head of history and special projects Bill Locke has been upped to director of specialist factual. Locke’s credits include Channel 4/Discovery series First Emperor and several Secret History shows, such as Secrets of the Terracotta Warriors (C4/PBS Nova/ARTE). He is currently overseeing BBC2 series The Story of Egypt.

Last month, Lion promoted executive producer Lisa Hazlehurst to lead its Scotland division as MD.

Founded in 1997, Lion Television is led by Nick Catliff, Shahana Meer, Richard Bradley and Jeremy Mills, and has more than 140 production staff at its London, Glasgow and New York offices. The Glasgow production office opened in 1999.

Last week, Jane Turton was promoted to CEO of All3Media, following the departure of Farah Ramzan Golant last year.