Ex-Kangeroo chief joins web TV firm

Lesley Mackenzie, the launch chief executive of the cross-industry video-on-demand service Project Kangaroo, has joined web TV holding company Nettv247.com.

Mackenzie has been appointed chief executive of the company, which plans to invest in and develop a range of web TV businesses, and has also bought an undisclosed stake in the venture.

Nettv247.com is currently a month into the beta phase of its first site, 123webtv.com, aggregates around 200 channels and 100,000 programmes that are only available on the web.

Mackenzie stood down from Project Kangaroo when Ashley Highfield was named chief executive. Highfield officially started at the joint venture last week, just as the Competition Commission launched its investigation into whether the service could distort the UK video-on-demand market.

Prior to Kangaroo, Mackenzie launched TataSky in India. She was previously director of channels and operations at BSkyB.

Nettv247.com was founded in January by Top-Up TV founder Ian West,  who previously worked with Mackenzie at BSkyB.