Darren Childs

Darren Childs is a British business executive. Childs is the current, and 3rd Chief Executive of UKTV.

He was born in Doncaster in 1966 and studied Computer Science and later Business at Stanford.

He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Kyriakou family owned Antenna Group. ^[1] a diversified media business with investments in high profile US digital companies Vice, Twitter, Spotify and Facebook, as well as European Pay TV, Broadcasting, and Radio.

UKTV has been transformed since the acquisition of 50% of the business by US media company Scripps in 2011 with focus on growth, performance, operational efficiency, content production and creation and digital transformation for which UKTV has received major awards for its channels, original content and digital services. He is known to be deeply passionate about creating organisational culture that pushes innovation and performance and has delivered many speeches on the subject including keynotes for the Economist.^[2] and ^[3]

UKTV's recent transformation has been featured in two books.

1. The Culture Builders ^[4] and The Science Of Serendipity.^[5] UKTV has also written and published a number thought leader books. Recent titles include ''Imagination and Creativity in TV and Beyond",^[6] and The Future Of Television ^[7]

UKTV now reaches over 42 million viewers per month, and reported in 2014 it now controls >9% of all commercial TV viewing in the UK. It now also releases its financial performance on it corporate site http://corporate.uktv.co.uk/article/results/ , and was featured by The Guardian as one of the Top 20 European Consumer Media companies.

UKTV has also been recognised as a "Top 100 Best Companies" for three year in The Times, ^[8] and has one of the most progressive and engaged CSR program ^[9] raising huge amounts for charity and work in the community..

Recent articles written by Childs

The Economist ^[10]

Insigniam Quarterly ^[11]

Other interests

1. Member of the London Business School E100 angel investment group, investing in digital and disruptive start up companies.^[12]

Previous career

Childs has held senior executive positions in international media. He moved to Hong Kong in the early 90's as part of the launch team for Star TV then owned by "Li Ka-shing" (CK Hutchinson Holdings) and later acquired by News Corp in 1994, and spent 8 years building the business across Asia. Eventually he moved back to London joining Sony Pictures/Columbia Tri-Star as Senior Vice President, credited for investing in, and being on the board of HBO in Europe and VIVA in Germany. He joined BBC Worldwide Board in 2010 to prepare the business for IPO and separation from the BBC and resigned when IPO plans where cancelled by the incoming Chairman of the BBC Trust.

Social Media

Childs can be found on Twitter @DarrenMChilds.

Recent press article

https://www.eiuperspectives.economist.com/darren-childs http://insigniamquarterly.com/2013/12/02/profiles-in-disruptive-leadership/ http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/sep/08/uktv-dave-repeats-dynamo http://www.bbcworldwide.com/channels.aspx http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003120700 http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/interviews/darren-childs-bbc-worldwide-channels/5006317.article http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/worldwide/darren_childs.shtml http://www.worldscreen.com/articles/display/23885 http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117988794.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/uktv-boss-wants-to-get-your-attention-8122357.html