Simon Downing Email & Phone Number

London, Gb

London, England, Gb

New York City, Us

My role included:• Defining and setting the marketing and content strategy for both the streaming and linear business in the UK.• Oversee the end to end marketing process from ideation to implementation.• Manage and execute all disciplines within the marketing function (creative, media, digital, PR and brand strategy) and maximise the commercial opportunity at every consumer touch point. • Manage and evolve the master brands and all key IP. • Oversight of all creative output for the UK business including commercial and corporate. • Direct the execution of subscriber acquisition campaigns across search, social, display and programmatic.• Partner with global streaming to optimise the marketing budget and campaign objectives (brand, title, acquisition)• Supported the commercial teams, develop and execute trade marketing activity which supports both ad sales and affiliate objectives.• Provided marketing leadership within the UK business and across the matrix of key stakeholders (global pay brands, Discovery Sports, HBO Streaming, affiliate partners and platforms)• Full management and oversight of the UK marketing budget of $42m and a team of approx. 110.

Us

• Head of channel strategy and operations encompassing scheduling, programming, marketing and commercial (linear and non-linear).• Responsible for a programming budget (commissions and acquisitions) of $28m p.a.• Planning of a dedicated scheduling and research team with a focus on optimising channel performance.• Management of Eurosport production facility overseeing all domestic sports production. • Supported the distribution team by delivering an editorial plan which ensured feeds were optimised and non-linear opportunities maximised. (Eurosport Player and Quest OD)• Met ad sales revenue targets are exceeded (Quest $60m / Eurosport $15m)• Managed the affiliate relationship and extracted maximum marketing value from distribution partners.• Conceived and oversaw the launch of DMAX in FTA – replacing Travel Channel and doubling revenue to $30m pa

New York, Us

Key Responsibilities:• Development of pan regional flagship brand strategy.• Secure buy in and work with key regional stake holders (Local Leadership Teams and GMs)• Identify and manage pan regional content pillars which support the brand promise.• Develop and manage the pan region franchise strategy• Manage the creative process within the UK and maximize sharing pan region.• Support regional marketing efforts and review and assess performance against pre-determined KPIsKey achievements include:• Conceived and rolled out a clearer and more forward-thinking brand strategy across EMEA and Asia (Discovery 2.0)• Conceived and the oversaw the development of new Discovery brand promise “Make Your World Bigger”• Increased promo sharing between UK and West by 200% (accounting for 60% of all promos)• Defined brand strategy for DMAX Italy, redefined brand for DMAX Germany and worked closely with Antonio on Discovery Max for Spain.• Best Channel Marketing Broadcast UK

New York, Us

• Manage the brand planning process to ensure optimum positioning in the market relative to the competitor landscape. • Oversee the development and implementation of the marketing strategy and ensure all commercial and marketing targets are met.• Development and ongoing management of all brand communications on air, off air, online and mobile.Key achievements include:• Conceived and launched Quest / Quest Red / Discovery History / Shed.• Conceived and implemented the UK digital strategy (website and social)• Oversaw Discovery channel refresh.

London, London, Gb

Primary role was to work alongside programming (Kevin Lygo / Dan Chambers) to clarify the brand positioning and bring the refreshed editorial to life through a new and dynamic channel rebrand. • Re engineer the brand to appeal to a younger more media savvy demo. • Create a marketing strategy in conjunction with programming and commercial team to support the broader business strategy.• Work in conjunction with programming to collectively agree on the key promotional priorities and ensure editorial is consistent with the brand positioning.• Oversee and develop the digital strategy (online and broadcast services)• Manage and grow secondary digital revenues Key Achievements Include:• Evolving Channel 5 to Five to both critical and commercial acclaim. • Best Channel Marketing Promax 2003

London, England, Gb

Key Responsibilities July 2000 – June 2002• Develop and implement the marketing strategy for all MTV and VH1 channels in the UK. • Identify and exploit platform opportunities and ensure delivery was consistent with brand proposition. • Oversee the interactive operations and ensure brand delivery was consistent across platforms.• Budget responsibility £2m.• Develop and implement all trade activity and initiate marketing partnerships with platform operators.• Work closely with Viacom Brand Solutions to offer fully integrated sponsorship packages.Key Achievements include:• Developed and implemented the launch of The Osbourne’s. The most successful launch in the history of MTV UK at that time.• Instrumental in evolving MTV from a music video channel to long form programming channel.• Relaunched MTV.co.uk and worked on the launch of the interactive TV to support the EMAs which pushed the innovation boundaries at the time.

Management of the broader marketing function, positioning, communications planning, budget management and distribution via retail partners. Key Achievements• Part of the development team for Grand Theft Auto, also responsible for positioning and launch of the franchise, now the most successful gaming franchise in the world (250m units)• Managed and launched C&C Red Alert the second most successful PC game in UK in 2000. • Launched and established some of the most iconic gaming franchises (Mortal Kombat / Turok / Star Trek)

Responsible for identifying new market opportunities throughout the Middle East. Developed marketing entry plans for a successful launch in Romania. Worked in Bangkok on secondment as marketing consultant