ITN Productions snaps up Zoo 55 director for digital arm

ITV Studios’ director of digital channels at Zoo 55 George Cudmore is heading to ITN Productions to lead its upcoming digital division.  

Cudmore, who has led the strategic and commercial direction of ITV’s social video business, will lead a team of digital specialists at ITN Productions to kick off the digital arm of the company.  

It was first revealed in September last year that ITN was launching a digital division and premium content label as part of its investment in growth, coinciding with its 70th anniversary celebrations.  

Cudmore has headed up digital teams for TV broadcast and distribution businesses for more than a decade, including ITV, BBC Studios, Banijay and Endemol Shine Group.  

At ITNP, Cudmore will oversee a team that also includes Ruby Coote, who joins ITNP as executive producer of content and development from Future, and Georgia Foxwell, who becomes executive producer of audience and social, having previously served as senior social media editor for Global’s The News Agents podcast.  

Rubina Pabini, who was previously head of shortform at ITNP, will also become head of digital content. 

Cudmore will focus on expanding ITNP’s direct-to-consumer strategy, building creator partnerships and trialling formats, as well as launching new digital content across genres including entertainment, crime, royals and utilising ITN’s archive.  

He will work closely with ITN managing director of content Ian Rumsey and ITNP’s creative director Georgina Mantle.

The new division will build on the success of ITNP’s original shortform commissions for BBC Sounds, ITVX, Audible and others, as well as its existing YouTube channels.  

Cudmore said: “Given the vibrancy of the digital economy, it feels like a pivotal moment to bring new and exciting content, formats and partnerships to market, leveraging ITN Productions’ prowess and archive heritage to build on a great foundation in digital to date.”