Virgin Media has appointed David Bouchier as its first Chief Digital Entertainment Officer.
The former BSkyB and Sky Italia executive will oversee the cablenet’s content, programming and digital entertainment teams. His reports will include Stephane David, Executive Director, Content and Scott Kewley, Director of Digital Entertainment.
Tom Mockridge, Virgin Media Chief Executive Officer, said: “I am delighted we have secured an executive of David’s calibre to lead our digital entertainment business. His depth of experience will help us develop the true potential of the award-winning TV and entertainment services offered by Virgin Media.”
David Bouchier, added: “Our industry is evolving at an unbelievable pace as our viewers demand more and more innovation from us. Virgin Media is the network of choice for the next generation, because it matches the speed of their lifestyle. I am very excited to be joining a business which is making significant investments in what is already the UK’s most comprehensive TV and entertainment service.”
Bouchier spent six years helping to develop the Sky business across Europe; first as a member of the management executive of BSkyB in the UK, where he was responsible for handling the company’s investment in German pay-TV, then with News Corporation as Managing Director, Programming for Sky Italia. He subsequently returned to the UK and set up his own pay TV broadcast businesses, creating a number of pay television channels including the pre-school channel JimJam.
Prior to joining the pay-TV industry David was a partner in the media law firm Olswang.