HMV boss leading ITV CEO race
SIMON Fox, the boss of music retailer HMV, is leading the race to take over from Michael Grade as chief executive of troubled broadcaster ITV.
Fox, who is credited with turning HMV around since taking over in September 2006, has emerged as ITV’s top choice after it held final interviews for the role last week.
Fox, the former head of electrical retail chain Comet, has no experience in the media sector but ITV is prepared to recruit an industry outsider if they come armed with fresh ideas.
Pascal Cagni, Apple’s London-based European boss, also has a good chance of securing the job.
Frenchman Cagni moved to London in 2004 and was responsible for marketing Apple’s massively successful iPod in Europe.
Also on the shortlist is Guillaume de Posch, former boss of German broadcasting giant ProSiebenSat.1.
And former BSkyB chief executive Tony Ball and John Cresswell, ITV’s current chief operating officer, have made the final cut, although the latter is understood to have only an outside chance.
ITV is hoping to announce a candidate before its interims on 6 August.