Transparent alum Jazz Gowans joins Nine Lives, opens Birmingham office

Jazz Gowans, former CEO of Argonon-owned Transparent TV, has joined UK indie Nine Lives Media as co-creative director and will open a new office in Birmingham for the company.

Jazz Gowans

Gowans will be co-creative director of Nine Lives alongside CEO Cat Lewis.

Earlier this year the journalist and executive producer joined the board of Create Central, the industry body promoting the creative content industries in her native West Midlands and will continue to work on other passion projects alongside her new role.

Gowans was CEO of Transparent TV from 2005 to 2019 and oversaw its buy-out by Argonon in 2013.

Transparent’s commissions included A Very British Brothel, My Daughter Amy and Britain’s Forgotten Army with Joanna Lumley for Channel 4 and 12 seasons of Botched Up Bodies for Channel 5.

Salford-based Nine Lives was launched in 2007, run by Cat and Mike Lewis, and became a major supplier to the BBC in specialist factual, children’s, documentary, factual entertainment and current affairs programmes.

Cat Lewis

Jazz Gowans said: “I’m fiercely passionate about increasing production opportunities in the West Midlands, as well as the UK’s other regions and nations, and am hugely excited by the opportunity to work with Cat and Mike Lewis who share these same values.”

Cat Lewis said: “We’re thrilled to have secured the talents of one of television’s top creatives amid tough competition from broadcasters as well as other independents.

“Jazz joining Nine Lives marks a new era for the company and we know we will benefit enormously from her expertise as we build on the success we’ve enjoyed since our launch in 2007.”