MTM hires ex-Sky COO Mike Darcey

Research and strategy consultancy MTM has hired former Sky strategy director, chief operating officer and News UK CEO Mike Darcey as senior strategy advisor.

Mike Darcey

Darcey will work with MTM’s strategy practice, advising pay TV, media and sports industry clients.

Darcey spent 15 years at Sky, first as director as strategy and then as COO. He helped oversee the company’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting, the launch of major new product offerings such as Sky+, and the introduction of Sky AdSmart, the pay TV operator’s addressable advertising solution.

Darcey was also central to the development of Sky’s sports strategy, leading five successful defences of the Premier League rights, as well as securing other key sports properties such as Champions League football, Formula One motorsport and England home test cricket.

At News UK, he was closely involved in the development of the company’s subscription offering and efforts to diversify and develop new revenue streams.

More recently, he advised Comcast during the firm’s successful acquisition of Skyand served as a non-executive director of Arqiva.

MTM managing partner Jon Watts said: “We’re delighted to be working with Mike at this exciting moment in the media industry. I’ve known Mike for 20 years and have admired his enormous expertise and strategic acumen. Mike is enormously well respected across the industry and was at the heart of Sky’s decision-making during one of the pivotal periods in its history. We’re delighted to be working with Mike to better advise our clients and are confident that his wealth of experience will be of enormous value to many of our clients.”

Darcey said: “I’ve had a front row seat for the seismic changes in the media industry over the last 20 years and have enjoyed using this experience to help a range of media and technology companies. MTM is already doing fantastic work with many of these clients and has a world class strategy and research team with decades of media and technology expertise. I’m thrilled to be joining the team to help more pay TV, telecoms and sports clients evaluate their sales strategies, explore new routes to market and navigate the rapidly evolving media landscape.”