Mark Itkin joins Plimsoll Productions board

Former US talent agent and unscripted TV dealmaker Mark Itkin has joined the board of UK-based prodco Plimsoll Productions as the company “prioritises the American marketplace.”

Mark Itkin

Itkin, who is based in LA and New York, will work closely with Plimsoll CEO Grant Mansfield and LA-based VP of production and development Saul Goldberg.

A former co-head of television and board member at William Morris Endeavor, Itkin will advise on strategy across the group, with a focus on creating and packaging non-scripted content for the US.

Plimsoll said it has 18 series in production around the world and has multiple projects in the US with premium cable networks and streaming platforms. Further details of these projects will be announced in due course.

Itkin joins non-exec directors Andy Grove and Dewi Huges of private equity firm Lloyd’s Development Capital (LDC), as well as chairman Paddy Sellers, on the Plimsoll board. Exec directors include Mansfield, Christine Owen, Martha Holmes and Jonathan Jackson.

Itkin has packaged global formats and series as The Real World, Project Runway, Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, Deal or No Deal, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, Big Brother and Fear Factor.

He was awarded the Gold Award by C21 and industry body Frapa at the International Format Awards in 2014 for his outstanding achievement and contribution to the formats business.

Regarding his move to Plimsoll, Itkin said: “I am very impressed by this dynamic company and what they have accomplished in such a short period of time, and am eager to further expand their US footprint.”

Last year, LDC acquired a “substantial minority stake” in Plimsoll, valuing it at US$110m, and the company recently acquired 100% of UK sales house Magnify Media.