Nat Geo Global Networks rejigs team

National Geographic Global Networks has made further changes to its senior leadership team, with new roles for Tim Pastore and Hamish Mykura.

Tim Pastore

Pastore, previously president of original programming and production, has had his remit expanded and will now oversee all unscripted programming for National Geographic Channel (NGC) globally. He will continue to report to CEO Courteney Monroe.

The development, production and operations teams in London, New York and Washington DC will now report to Pastore.

In addition, the former BBC Worldwide Productions exec will oversee the firm’s in-house production unit, National Geographic Studios (NGS), which produces series such as Brain Games and Explorer.

Heather Moran, exec VP of programming, strategy and operations, will also assume that role globally, overseeing global production management, production services and operations and business systems.

Hamish Mykura, previously executive VP and head of international content for National Geographic Channels International (NGCI), now becomes exec VP of programming and development for National Geographic Global Networks and head of the London office, where he will continue to be based.

Alan Eyres will continue as senior VP of programming and development, based in Washington DC. He will focus on global, unscripted content and will be Pastore’s most senior programming team member in the US, working with Mykura.

Hamish Mykura

Mykura, Eyres and Moran all report to Pastore.

As for Nat Geo Wild, Geoff Daniels, executive VP and general manager, now assumes that role globally, with NGS also reporting to him for any Wild productions. Daniels will continue to report to Monroe.

Janet Han Vissering, senior VP of development and production for Wild, will continue as Daniels’ second in command, adding global to her plate as well.

Brad Dancer, recently promoted to executive VP of programming planning and research, now assumes that role in a global capacity. Dancer will oversee the global planning and scheduling strategies as well as acquisitions for NGC, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo People and Nat Geo Mundo across linear and non-linear platforms. Dancer will continue to report to Monroe.

Joining Dancer’s team is Jules Oldroyd, who will re-locate from London, where she was senior VP of programming and strategic development for NGCI, to Washington DC. She will work with Dancer on international programme planning and scheduling for NGC and Nat Geo Wild, and on aligning global roll-outs for premiere programming. Oldroyd will also oversee Nat Geo People.

Courteney Monroe

Finally, Fox International Channels chief marketing officer Liz Dolan assumes a dual role as interim chief marketing officer of the global NGC suite.

The move comes after Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox paid US$725m for control of the National Geographic Society last September, a move that created National Geographic Partners, which includes NGC. Following that, Nat Geo Society shed almost 10% of its workforce.

Monroe’s appointment as global CEO of the channels in the same month coincided with the formation of Partners, and the appointment of Carolyn Bernstein as the company’s first head of global scripted and production for NGC.

“By aligning my senior team to serve the global interests of the channels, we are now even better positioned to become the world’s leading destination for premium science, adventure and exploration programming,” said Monroe.