Emma Scott is to leave her post as managing director of Freesat after seven years. She has overseen the growth of the business since the start, joining as launch director from the BBC.
She will leave her post at the end of the year in favour of Alistair Thom, Freesat’s finance director and company secretary.
Bal Samra, chairman of Freesat, said: “Emma has been an outstanding Managing Director, translating an idea for a start-up into the established and successful business that Freesat is today. In doing so, she and the Freesat team have delivered a number of industry firsts for viewers in the free to air market, building on Britain’s heritage in broadcasting and technology. Her commitment and belief in the importance of ‘free’ TV has been unstinting. While Freesat’s shareholders and team will greatly miss Emma’s professionalism, drive and tenacity, we wish her every success in her future career.”
Scott is also the founder of We are 21 Women, which champions the role of women in the media-tech sector, and a trustee of Ovarian Cancer Action.
Sad yet exciting day to anno I'm leaving wonderful @freesat_tv to do new things. Best 7 work years of my life thanks to the best team ever
— Emma Scott (@ememscott) September 25, 2014
Emma Scott, Managing Director of Freesat, said: “I am immensely proud of what we have achieved at Freesat since our inception seven years ago. Freesat now offers viewers who do not wish to pay a monthly subscription a state of the art connected television service. That means more than 200 TV and radio channels; a strong and growing HD portfolio; personal video recorder functionality; a full range of catch-up services (BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD, Demand 5); easy access to leading services such as YouTube, Curzon Cinema BBC News and BBC Sport; our Showcase TV recommendations service; the Freesat iOS and Android app and a ‘roll back’ TV guide.”
As of Q1 2014 Freetime accounted for 41% of all Freesat set-top box sales with Freesat as a whole on 1.84 million households.
