With a career in the advertising and television industries that spans more than 20 years, David has led a number of high profile media businesses in the UK and US and has been instrumental in the development of major TV channels and international brands.

David was appointed CEO of UKTV in April 2007 with the primary objective to drive the profitable growth and development of the network. During his first year, UKTV launched the award-winning Dave, attracting 8 million new viewers to the network, and laid the foundations for rebranding the entire UKTV network.

He joined UKTV from Discovery Networks USA, where, as EVP and General Manager for TLC, he was responsible for overseeing all content investment strategy and execution for the leading US cable network. David led a repositioning of TLC that created a sustained period of ratings growth with such original hits as Miami Ink, Little People Big World and What Not To Wear.

Prior to this, David was General Manager of Discovery Networks UK for a four year period that saw viewing share double, during which time he commissioned the Emmy award-winning Age of Terror and Virtual History.

Before Discovery, David was a founding partner and CEO at St Luke’s Communications Ltd., the innovative advertising agency which helped New Labour launch “The New Deal for the Unemployed”, popularised a number of companies including Ikea, Eurostar, Clarks, HSBC, Boots and Sky Digital, and broke all records by becoming Agency of the Year two years after setting up shop.

After taking a degree in Modern History from Oxford University, David began his career in 1984 as a graduate trainee at advertising agency Benton and Bowles.

David is a board member of Skillset the national body for skills development in the creative industries and is also a member of BAFTA and the RTS.