Nutopia MD resigns

The MD of Jane Root’s factual-skewing prodco Nutopia has resigned after four years with the company to pursue new opportunities.

Laura Franses has left her position but will remain a consultant and shareholder. Carl Griffin, the company’s chief finance officer, will become acting MD while a permanent replacement is found.

Franses founded the company with former BBC2 controller and Discovery Networks president Root in 2008. She had previously been acting MD at Raw TV and chief operating officer of Amaze TV after also working with Film4.

Nutopia has become known for its blue-chip factual series such as America: The Story of Us and Mankind: The Story of All of Us for History.

Franses said: “I am immensely proud of my time at Nutopia. Since Jane and I started the company in 2008, it has created genre-defining programming for major global broadcasters.

“It has been an honour to work with incredible production crews and I leave behind an outstanding, creative and inspirational management team to take the company forward.”

Root added: “Laura has helped take us from just an idea to where we are today. Her strategic insight and financial acumen have been tremendous assets to the company.”