Gyngell back as Nine CEO

Channel Nine has just announced David Gyngell, who quit as CEO of the Nine Network in May 2005, will return to the role from November.

Gyngell, the son of the first man to appear on Aussie TV Bruce Gyngell, has been running Granada TV in Los Angeles. He is also godson to Kerry Packer and partner to journalist Leila McKinnon.

Gyngell takes up the role vacated by Eddie McGuire earlier this year, whose duties were maintained by Jeffrey Browne.

Browne will now move to Melbourne as Managing Director of GTV9 and continue his role as Executive Director of the Nine Network.

“This Network has been my passion. Everyone who knows me knows that. In the last few years my time running Granada Television in North America has broadened my experience and made me a better television executive,” said Gyngell.

“It is a great time to return home to Nine. There is a great pool of talent, and a fierce will to win within the staff of Nine Network. I accepted the challenge of the role of CEO to be part of the PBL Media management team led by Ian Law,” he said.

Gyngell was instrumental in the success of The Block, and took the “whiz-kid” producers Julian Cress and David Barbour with him to the US.

Nine has also appointed a new Executive Producer (Graham Thurston) and Editor (Ian Cook ) of News.

Press Release:

Leading international broadcasting television executive David Gyngell was today appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Nine Network Australia , effective from November 2007.

“We are committed to ensuring Nine again has the best people and the best resources, and the return of David Gyngell to the network is a vital step in that process,” said PBL’s Ian Law.

Ian Law, Chief Executive Officer of PBL Media, said the appointment of Mr Gyngell as CEO was a critical step in the continuing process of accelerating Nine to a position of market leadership.

“We are committed to ensuring Nine again has the best people and the best resources, and the return of David Gyngell to the network is a vital step in that process. “

Mr Law said David Gyngell will add significant creative depth to the management team at Nine and his overall skills will complement the commercial management skills of Jeffrey Browne, Executive Director of the Nine Network Australia .

Mr Law said Mr Browne had done an excellent job in reforming Nine and he would continue is his existing role as Executive Director of Nine Network Australia and in addition he will take on the role of Managing Director of GTV 9 in Melbourne.

“Mr Browne will relocate to Melbourne to be closer to his family, and GTV 9 will benefit greatly from his leadership and extensive contacts in Melbourne . At the same time he will continue as Executive Director of Nine Network Australia and will spend considerable time in Sydney on commercial matters across the group.”

Mr Browne supported and welcomed the appointment of Mr Gyngell, saying he believed that Nine would benefit greatly from his television experience.

Mr Law said the addition of David Gyngell to the existing management team at Nine Network Australia was very exciting.

“David is widely recognised as one of the most experienced and passionate television executives in Australia . He has a unique perspective and great experience in the industry given his decades of tutorship from two of the giants of television – his father Bruce, and Kerry Packer.

“David will bring energy, enthusiasm and ideas to the network. He will be the champion of the cause of Nine for both viewers and advertisers.”

For the last couple of years, David Gyngell has been CEO of Granada Television based in Los Angeles .

Mr Gyngell said he was both excited and humbled about the prospect of returning to Nine.

“This Network has been my passion. Everyone who knows me knows that. In the last few years my time running Granada Television in North America has broadened my experience and made me a better television executive.

“It is a great time to return home to Nine. There is a great pool of talent, and a fierce will to win within the staff of Nine Network. I accepted the challenge of the role of CEO to be part of the PBL Media management team led by Ian Law, “Mr Gyngell said.

Mr Law said the appointment of Mr Gyngell as CEO was an important step and part of a wider process of reinvigoration of Nine in terms of its executive team and its facilities.

This process included a recent decision by the board of PBL Media to spend more than $150 million on upgrading the technology and facilities in the Nine Network to ensure it has state of art operations around Australia , Mr Law said.