Sir Crispin Davis drops out of ITV chairman race

Oct 9 2009 by Graeme Brown, Birmingham Post

ITV’s long-running succession drama has encountered fresh troubles after Sir Crispin Davis bowed out of chairmanship negotiations.

The former chief executive of publishing and media group Reed Elsevier was thought to have been a front-runner to replace Michael Grade, who is set to relinquish his dual position as executive chairman of ITV.

But Sir Crispin was turned off the job by the level of publicity it has attracted recently, according to reports. The fresh twist comes after the broadcaster’s hunt for a chief executive collapsed last month when talks with former BSkyB boss Tony Ball hit the rocks.

ITV – home of hit shows including Coronation Street and X Factor – now plans to select a chairman, who will then appoint a chief executive, but the list of potential candidates appears to be dwindling.

One name still linked to the chairman talks is former Channel 4 chairman Sir Michael Bishop, who retired recently as chairman of BMI British Midland A friend of Sir Michael said he was “taking a long, hard look” at the prospects for the job in light of its high profile and the difficulties facing the broadcaster.

It is understood the appointment of Sir Michael could pave the way for talks with Mr Ball to be reopened. The main stumbling block to negotiations over the chief executive job was thought to be his opposition to the appointment of Sir Crispin.

ITV cited “significant differences” when the talks with Mr Ball broke down.

The negotiations had come under fire for the size of his pay demands – said initially to have been as much as £42 million in a share and pay arrangement over five years.