Lime Hires For International Growth

From C21Media:

Lime hires for international growth

Lime Pictures, the All3Media prodco behind UK structured reality series The Only Way Is Essex and teen soap Hollyoaks [and hit Nickelodeon mystery drama series "House of Anubis"], has appointed a new CEO.

Lesley Douglas will join Lime from Universal Music UK, where she is currently MD of commercial media partnerships and the label’s Globe TV division.

She takes over from Carolyn Reynolds, who held the CEO position at Lime for six years but will now work on new projects for All3 while retaining a consultancy role at Lime.

Douglas oversaw the growth of Universal’s television output, which included reality series Popstar to Operastar, a coproduction with ITV Studios and Renegade for commercial broadcaster ITV1.

She will continue to work with Universal as part of a coproduction deal that will see Globe partner Lime on all its music-related content.

In turn, Lime will have a first-look deal covering all of Universal’s television productions.

Douglas will start her new job in the new year. She said of the appointment: “I have loved developing music formats with (creative director) Tony Wood and Lime over the past few years. The opportunity of working more closely still across the portfolio, while also ensuring that Universal’s programming is in safe hands, was an opportunity I simply could not turn down.

“To successfully capture the imagination of the youth market is a difficult job but Lime Pictures has the hearts and minds (as well as the remotes and browsers) of the UK’s youth audience.”

Douglas was previously controller of BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music, and was the BBC’s first controller of popular music across all platforms.

However, she resigned from the BBC in 2008 in the wake of the scandal involving comedians Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross, who left offensive messages on the voicemail of actor Andrew Sachs that were then played on Ross’s BBC Radio 2 show.

Other productions from Lime include House of Anubis, the first commission from the UK for Nickelodeon US.


Michael Pickard
12-12-2011
C21Media

Also, from Kidscreen:

Lesley Douglas named Lime Pictures CEO

Youth media exec Lesley Douglas has been named CEO of ALL3MEDIA-owned Lime Pictures, Britain’s largest regional indie TV producer behind such series as Nickelodeon’s House of Anubis.

The former controller of BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music is currently MD of commercial media partnerships and Globe TV at Universal Music UK, where she has overseen the growth of its television output.

Starting in January, Douglas will develop new outlets and commercial deals for programming brands both in the UK and internationally. Lime Pictures currently produces a wide range of young adult, youth and children-oriented drama, comedy, music and reality content.

Her move has also helped usher in a new co-production deal between Lime and Universal Music UK Globe television. The music company is to become Lime’s exclusive co-production partner for all of Lime’s music-related productions. Lime in turn becomes Universal Music’s preferred partner for all its TV activities. Douglas will also continue to consult on Universal Music’s role as official music licensee for the London Olympics.

Carolyn Reynolds, who has been chief executive of Lime Pictures and its predecessor Mersey Television for the past six years, will work on new projects for All3Media and, for a period, will continue in a consultancy role for Lime Pictures.

Also, from Televisual:

Lesley Douglas is appointed chief exec at Lime Pictures

NewsStaff Reporter12 December 2011The indie behind The Only Way is Essex and Hollyoaks, Lime Pictures, has announced the appointment of Lesley Douglas as chief executive.

Douglas is currently managing director of Commercial Media Partnerships and Globe TV at Universal Music UK, where she has overseen the growth of its television output with programmes such as Popstar to Operastar, a co-production with ITV Studios/ Renegade.

Douglas’s role within Lime Pictures, working alongside the Creative Director Tony Wood, will be to build on the success of Lime Pictures’ programming and develop new outlets and commercial deals for their brands both in the UK and internationally.

She will move to Lime in the new year, replacing Carolyn Reynolds, who has been chief executive of the company for six years. She will work on new projects for the All3Media group and for a period will continue in a consultancy role for Lime Pictures.

Universal Music UK will continue to work closely with Douglas via a ground-breaking new co-production deal between Lime and Globe television. The UK’s leading music company is to become Lime’s exclusive co-production partner for all Lime’s music related productions. Lime in turn becomes Universal Music’s preferred partner for all its TV activities. Douglas will also continue to consult on Universal Music’s role as official music licensee for the London Olympics.

Douglas was the youngest controller of BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music, she ran the stations between 2004 and 2008, winning Sony Station of the Year award in 2005. She was also the BBC’s first controller of popular music across all platforms.

Universal Music UK chairman and ceo David Joseph says: “This is an ambitious new partnership for us and I’m delighted that we will continue to benefit from Lesley’s expertise and talent when she takes up her new role.”

Douglas said: “Working under the chairmanship of David Joseph at Universal Music has been an exciting journey which has led to the company building a substantial television and commercial partnerships business. I have loved developing music formats with Tony Wood and Lime over the last few years. The opportunity of working more closely still across the portfolio, while also ensuring that Universal's programming is in safe hands, was an opportunity I simply could not turn down.

“Carolyn Reynolds leaves a vibrant company behind. The talent within Lime is clearly something to be cherished and nurtured – few companies manage to produce high quality programming across such a diverse range of genres and channels. From the immense brand that is Hollyoaks to House of Anubis, and of course The Only Way Is Essex, Lime has shown itself to be fleet of foot and creatively brilliant. To successfully capture the imagination of the youth market is a difficult job but Lime Pictures has the hearts and minds (as well as the remotes and browsers) of the UK’s youth audience.”

Carolyn Reynolds, chief executive Lime Pictures said:
“I am immensely proud of everyone working at Lime Pictures because the success we’ve experienced in different genres is a reflection of their creativity and commitment. I’ll miss working with everyone but feel new energy is now needed to take this Company to greater heights and I know Lesley will be instrumental in making this happen. I’m delighted that my relationship with All3Media is to continue and wish everyone at Lime a successful New Year and beyond.”

Steve Morrison, chief executive of ALL3MEDIA added:
“Lesley’s experience at the helm of the UK’s most popular radio station and her knowledge of youth brands at Universal Music makes her the perfect person to build on Lime Pictures’ formidable successes. Lime Pictures has grown to become one of the UK’s most successful production companies with well-known brands such as Hollyoaks, The Only Way is Essex and House of Anubis [for Nickelodeon in the US]. None of this would have been possible without Carolyn Reynolds’s expert leadership over the past six years. Carolyn, Tony and all her talented team and staff have worked tirelessly to establish Lime Pictures as a world leader in youth programming as is evidenced by their nomination for the Best Independent Production Company 2011.

"I am delighted that Lesley Douglas is on board to contribute to the continued success of Lime Pictures and All3Media.”