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Mockridge to join Virgin as CEO

Liberty Global will appoint former News International CEO Tom Mockridge to lead Virgin Media upon completion of its takeover of the UK cable company.

Tom Mockridge

Tom Mockridge

The US cable giant agreed a a £15.8bn (US$24.6bn) deal to buy Virgin Media, the UK’s second largest pay TV operator after BSkyB, in February. Following recent clearance from the European Commission, the deal is expected to be finalised by early June, subject to shareholder approval.

Once the deal is completed, Mockridge will move in as Virgin Media CEO, replacing Neil Berkett, who announced his departure in the wake of the Liberty takeover earlier this year but is staying on until its completion.

Mockridge will report to president and CEO of Liberty Global Mike Fries as well as a newly formed operating committee that also includes executive VP of European broadband operations Diederik Karsten and exec VP/chief technology officer Balan Nair.

Mockridge was CEO of Australian pay TV outfit Foxtel and Sky Italia during his time with News Corp but became CEO of News International in July 2011, replacing Rebekah Brooks who resigned in disgrace amidst the UK’s phone-hacking scandal.

Mockridge, a 22-year News Corp veteran, then announced his intention to leave the company to pursue other opportunities in March last year and departed at the end of 2012. That move came as News Corp set about splitting its publishing and television businesses into separate entities.

The move to Virgin puts Mockridge in direct competition with News Corp and his old boss Rupert Murdoch, who own a 39% stake in BSkyB. Virgin has 4.9 million customers in the UK whereas Sky, in which News Corp owns 39.1%, has 10.7 million in the UK and Ireland.

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