ITV creates new Insights Group under Neil Mortensen

UK broadcaster ITV has created a new ITV Insights Group, bringing together specialists in market, media research, analytics and data science to generate audience-centric insights for all the teams across ITV. 

Neil Mortensen (Source: ITV)

The group will be led by Neil Mortensen, who was previously director of audiences and becomes director of the ITV Insights Group. Mortensen has been a key part of ITV’s content, streaming and broadcast strategy and brings with him experience in agency and media owner roles.

As part of the Insights Group leadership team Lara Izlan becomes director of insights and will continue to drive ITV’s data and insights transformation. She has previously led on transformation initiatives in media, including Planet V at ITV.

Mike Leverington becomes director of insight capability, developing a centre of excellence for all data, research and measurement which will power the Insights Group and ITV.

Paul Craigen becomes head of central Insight. Craigen previously led a team whose blended applications of research, data and analytics helped curate insights that led to the launch of ITVX.

The ITV Insights Group will report to Jane Stiller, chief marketing Oofficer at ITV.

The broadcaster said it had created the department to further embed insights into the heart of business decision making, transforming data into strategic actions that drive growth, and responding to greater demand for business intelligence and insight to enable informed decision making.

The aim, it said, was to increase insight capabilities that will drive cross-platform audience understanding and advanced predictive analytics to drive value.

Mortensen said: “Integration of our Insights team aligns goals, encourages knowledge sharing, and boosts collaboration across the whole of ITV. I’m really excited to be leading this multi-skilled team to create better, quicker business decisions for the business.”

Stiller said: “In creating the ITV Insights Group we’re continuing to build on our strong data foundations with a rich tapestry of methodological expertise, spanning diverse disciplines and informed by the latest thinking in the field, to enable informed decision making across ITV and shape the future of our business.

“Neil is a renowned industry figure and anyone who has worked with him will know that his knowledge and passion for the world of data insight is second to none. We’re delighted to have such a strong and capable team alongside him leading this change.”