ITV ditches company secretary

Just two months after appointing him, ITV has dumped Carlton’s company secretary and general counsel David Abdoo from the company secretary role at the newly merged company.

Granada’s director of investor relations and treasury James Tibbitts has been chosen to replace him. Granada head of legal Kyla Mullens has scooped the role of legal director designate.

A Carlton spokesperson said: “Following further discussions, the ITV plc job proved to be different from the one he’s been doing at Carlton, where he’s general counsel as well as company secretary.”

When Abdoo was appointed ITV company secretary at the beginning of October, he was expected to be given the legal director role.

The latest appointments follow the ousting of Carlton’s Michael Green as chairman by major shareholders, leaving a Granada-dominated board.

The merger is due to be completed in January 2004. Granada’s corporate adviser Lovells will welcome the appointment, which may lead to the firm becoming ITV’s key corporate adviser. Slaughter and May is advising Carlton on the merger.