UKTV names marketing and comms chief

UKTV, the UK’s largest multichannel broadcaster, has promoted its comms director,  Zoë Clapp, to chief marketing and comms officer.

Clapp has been briefed to lead UKTV’s 85-strong marketing and comms team, and will work closely with controller Emma Tennant to grow the viewership and reputation of its network of brands, which include Dave, Drama and W.

She will also oversee UKTV’s in-house  production facility, which creates over 2,500 on-air promos and 700 pieces of navigational content a year.

In addition to her previous remit, she will also take responsibility for UKTV’s Creative, Digital, Marketing and Media departments and its agency relationships with Edelman, Joint, Mmmultiply and Rocket.

Clapp first joined UKTV as a press officer in 2005 and rose through the ranks to become comms director in 2012. During her time at the broadcaster, she has overseen campaigns in digital TV, including the launch of Dave and Drama. More recently she oversaw the re-launch of Watch to become entertainment channel W.

Before UKTV, she worked agency-side and in-house for Exposure, Sole Technology, Extreme Sports Channel, Warner Music, Emap and Nike.

Clapp has served on the Edinburgh International TV Festival Advisory and the RTS London Advisory committees, and published three books on the media featuring essays from contributors including Martha Lane Fox, Ed Vaizey MP, and Google’s European chief, Matt Brittin.

In her new role, Clapp will continue to report to UKTV’s chief executive, Darren Childs, and serve on the executive board for UKTV.

Childs said: “Through her award-winning communications work for UKTV, Zoë shows superb strategic leadership and a drive for creative, future-facing marketing. She’s the natural choice for this brand new role, created to strengthen UKTV’s position as a vibrant challenger in the UK market, and to ensure the company’s continued strong growth.”

Clapp added: “UKTV’s brilliant marketing and communications teams have made an enormous contribution to the network’s outstanding growth, and to the happiness of millions of our fans throughout the nation. It’s a privilege to lead this highly talented group as UKTV creates an exciting future for British digital television.”