Global poaches STV boss Simon Pitts

STV’s departing boss Simon Pitts will join UK media and entertainment group, Global, as chief executive officer at the start of 2025.

Simon Pitts (Source: STV Group)

Pitts succeeds Stephen Miron, who will take the role as Global’s chairman after 16 years as the company’s CEO.

Currently serving as CEO of the Scottish broadcaster and production arm, Pitts announced he was leaving the company earlier this week. He exits the company after serving as chief executive officer since 2018.

Prior to STV, the chief spent nearly two decades at ITV where he was on the executive board for seven years and held various roles including director of strategy & transformation and managing director of online, pay tv, interactive & technology.

Pitts will remain in his role at STV for around 12 months before joining Global. The STV board has already begun looking for his successor.

Under Pitts management, the company saw a 22% revenue increase in 2023, to $168.4m. Adjusting operating profit was, however, down by the same percentage during the year, from £25.8m in 2022 to £20.1m in 2023.

“Simon joins Global with an incredible track record of leadership, growth, and transformation. At STV he has led a hugely successful transformation, diversifying revenues and business operations to now include a high-growth streaming service and leading studios group alongside a traditional linear broadcast business, all of which is testament to his leadership skills, and importantly for Global, Simon’s experience of working within a similar business to ours. I see in Simon somebody who embodies the qualities needed to be the Group CEO at Global. He is a natural leader and his strategic thinking and focus will feel familiar to us as he leads us into the next phase of Global’s life,” said Ashley Tabor-King Cbe, founder & executive president of Global

“I’m delighted to be joining Global, a company I admire and whose brands I’ve been a fan of for a long time.  It is unique in the market to have such a diversified portfolio, with digital, audio and outdoor combined with some of the best-loved radio stations in the UK, bringing with it an incredible connection to its audiences,” said Pitts. “I’m very much looking forward to working with Ashley, and everyone at Global, as we develop the next phase of the company’s growth story and I feel equally lucky to be able to draw on the wise counsel and immense experience of Stephen and Charles as we grow Global together in the years to come,”

“After 16 years as Group CEO at Global it’s time to hand over the baton to someone who can help take the company to the next level. I can’t think of anyone better or more suited for this role than Simon. I have every confidence that he will be an exceptional leader and I’m really looking forward to working with Simon in my new role as Chairman as we look towards the next phase of Global’s growth,” said Miron.