STV has officially appointed Rufus Radcliffe as its new Chief Executive Officer. Radcliffe transitions to this role from ITV, where he was integral to the company’s digital innovation strategies, including the development of ITVX and BritBox.
Radcliffe’s tenure at ITV, which began over a decade ago, saw him rise to several key positions. Until April 2024, he was a member of the executive committee and served as Managing Director of Streaming, Interactive, and Data. In this role, he significantly accelerated ITV’s digital transformation by leading the strategic development and successful launch of ITVX in December 2022. Moreover, Radcliffe directed the interactive business and the group-wide data strategy.
Prior to his most recent position, Radcliffe was the Chief Marketing Officer at ITV, where he was responsible for running all direct-to-consumer activities. He played a pivotal role in the brand transformation of ITV and the marketing launch of BritBox. His career at ITV also included a term as Group Marketing and Research Director.
Before his extensive service at ITV, Radcliffe spent nine years at Channel 4. During his time there, he ascended to the position of Controller of Marketing. Notably, he contributed to the launch of E4 and Channel 4’s first streaming service, 4OD.
The board of STV expressed their enthusiasm for Radcliffe’s appointment. Paul Reynolds, Chair of STV Group plc, stated, “The Board is delighted to welcome Rufus to lead STV following a competitive selection process involving some of the best leadership talent in the UK media industry. We now embark on the next phase of STV’s exciting growth journey as a digital first, content-led business and Rufus brings with him a rare breadth of strategic and operational expertise from his previous significant industry roles. We very much look forward to working with him.”
Commenting on his new role, Radcliffe conveyed his excitement, saying, “STV is a great brand with an enviable track record of making high-quality, must-watch content and has a strong relationship with viewers and advertisers. I’m thrilled to be joining and cannot wait to work with everyone at STV to build on the tremendous success and growth of the past few years.”
This appointment follows the announcement made in March 2024 regarding Simon Pitts’ intent to step down from his position as Chief Executive Officer. Pitts is set to officially depart from his role and the board on 31 October 2024.
Rufus Radcliffe’s appointment marks a significant step for STV as it ventures further into its digital-first, content-focused strategy. With his extensive experience in digital transformation and marketing, Radcliffe is poised to lead STV into a new era of growth and innovation.