Granada recruits director of legal affairs

Granada Media Group is creating the new post of director of legal affairs to support its growth into new technologies.

It has recruited former business development vice president at Discovery Communications (Europe), Kyla Mullins to fill the post. Discovery Communications owns the Discovery satellite channel.

No date has been set for her arrival. But when she starts she will report to Jules Burns, joint managing director of production. Burns says: "We need this new position because of the effort we are putting into new technologies."

One of Mullins' key roles will be to provide the commercial legal advice necessary to ensure pay TV and online projects get off the ground.

Burns adds: "There are acquisition issues she will have to deal with as well."

Mullins will also be in charge of legal advice across the group and outsourcing of legal work. A loose panel of two firms exists - Goodman Derrick for litigation and Olswang for commercial matters. But Lovells, Dibb Lupton Alsop, Nabarro Nathanson and Paisner & Co have also been used in the past.

Mullins has filled a number of in-house media roles since training at Clifford Chance, where she worked from 1989 to 1993.

Mullins was unavailable for comment but Burns says she is likely to continue instructing the same law firms, although this is yet to be decided.