S4C confirms Ian Jones appointment


S4C has confirmed that it has appointed Ian Jones its new chief executive.

Jones will leave cable channel operator and programme seller A+E Networks to take the position at the Welsh public broadcaster. His appointment was widely rumoured, but a contract wrangle with A+E, which he joined last December as managing director, content distribution and commercial development, is understood to have held up the official announcement. 
Jones was at the recent MIPCOM programming market in Cannes representing A+E and will not start in his new role until April 22, 2012.

Arwel Ellis Owen will remain as interim chief executive in the intervening period
Jones was one of the team that originally launched S4C in 1982 and after working at ITV and as an independent producer he rejoined S4C as director of business, S4C International and coproductions between 1992 and 1997. He was president of National Geographic Television International from 2004 to 2007 and group managing director of Target Entertainment before joining A+E.