Geater named All3Media COO

All3Media has appointed the former head of FremantleMedia UK as its chief operating officer following the promotion of Jane Turton.

New COO Sara Geater

Sara Geater assumes the role with immediate effect, after just four months as chair of UK indie association Pact.

Turton was promoted to CEO of the Discovery and Liberty Global-owned firm in February. Since then, All3Media has acquired Sam Mendes’s Neal Street Productions, the UK drama indie behind series including the BBC’s Call the Midwife.

Jane Turton is now CEO

“The opportunity to work with Jane Turton and all the companies within the All3Media group, along with the company’s plans for growth, is one not to be missed,” said Geater.

Geater was elected chair of the Pact council last year, having stepped down as CEO of FremantleMedia UK after seven years with the company.

Pact’s rules state that execs at non-qualifying indies such as All3Media are unable to sit on the council. However, they can still be members. Pact vice-chair, Outline Productions’ Laura Mansfield, will now chair the council.

Geater was previously head of commercial affairs at Channel 4 in the UK, following a four-year stint as director of rights and business affairs at the BBC. She was also head of film and TV at Avalon, head of production at Miramax Films and Channel 4’s drama coproduction executive.

Turton said Geater’s experience would be a “huge asset to the group as we grow the business both in the UK and overseas.”