 | | |||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||
| | | | |||||||||||||||
Cable TV Networks as a division of a multinational media and entertainment conglomerate
Filcro Media Staffing reporting to the President of Network Sales Client: Cable TV Network with 100 million + subs - Entertainment, News, Reality and Music programming. Location: New York, NY - USA Client Situation: The President of Network Sales identified Filcro Media Staffing (FMS) and Tony Filson (TF ) to conduct the search based on Filcro Media Staffing completing similar media centric financial searches at this Network and the parent company. The president wanted to optimize financial operations and financial reporting on a national basis. This new executive was to be a strategic change agent who could analyze process as the Network reached the $620,000,000+ mark in the near future. Industry and Sector inclusion:
Filcro Media Staffing Filcro Media Staffing Officer in Charge of Search Tony Filson was asked to commence a search in the markets surrounding New York, NY and Chicago, IL to avoid a West Coast corporate relocation if possible. Tony Filson concurred that a suitable universe of candidates with the appropriate Financial reporting experience within the Network’s compensation range could be identified in the targeted geographics. New York and Chicago offered an ample “Media Financial Reporting” population to establish a suitable search universe in a brief period of time. Filcro Media Staffing initially identified Major Broadcast Network, MSO and Cable Network financial executives to establish a diverse and large search universe from both geographics. Establishing national continuity and the efficacy of reporting structures to enhance Network Sales Revenue Generation from a tactical and strategic perspective were one of the President’s primary goals here. It was important that each executive brought forward could emulate their current modality in the new Network. As this search was being conducted to establish a new line of financial reporting and the President was intimately involved in establishing the skills and experience required prior to Filcro Media recruiting and establishing three tiers for candidate universe compilation; the President would have ample latitude in identifying an ideal Vice President. The clear definitions provided by the President were his “ideal” and no changes were made during the search process. The President was clear as to what he was seeking in skills and experience. Based on Network strategic initiatives this new financial executive would require an unusual capacity for growth in a relatively brief period. It was essential that this Vice President of sales financial be capable of and have a proven track record of functioning with autonomy strategically as a change agent charged with transforming process and accountability to optimize revenue. The Financial Reporting and Management skills required offered some challenges at the onset based on the tactical and strategic role this person would play in developing the Network’s national financial infrastructure in Washington, DC; New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Detroit. After the first week of recruitment it became apparent that New York as opposed to Chicago was going to be our primary focus during the search process. A person who could quickly examine sales and financial process on a granular level and look at a “deal” to determine if it’s the “right deal” for the Network was essential. This person could then emulate their skills in others in the five national sales offices. We sought confirmation below, on and above line that these mentoring skills were a solid part of the new Vice President’s experience and capacity. We also sought assurances that if the new Vice President was transferred to the client company that they would remain effective, given the clients unique culture and reporting structures. Some of the challenges facing the new Director of Advertising Sales Finance
Solution: FMS proceeded to Identify the "best in industry" financial executives with the proper sales experience to facilitate the financial reporting and strategic goals desired by the President.
A hard-line audit or sales analysis executive would not work at this Network so we looked for those most apt to relate to broadcasting and non-broadcasting executives with the same effectiveness. We wanted an executive who could relate to those outside of the broadcasting industry by providing detailed sales financial models utilizing traditional reporting methodologies that every CFO or EVP of Finance could relate to and more importantly justify. The soft skill sets and capacity to articulate concisely to a board or executive committee and justify findings were essential as reporting into Divisional and Corporate finance on the CFO, Treasury and Compliance levels were real scenarios. Successful candidate(s) identified: A Senior Director of Finance who was also responsible for Network Sales Analysis with extensive Network financial advertising sales experience with one of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies in their cable TV multiplex, MSO and corporate environments. Within both TV Network and MSO environments this financial executive had proven himself in every area of concern relevant to the goals established for this executive search. This executive autonomously managed revenue analysis, yield management and budget development for a Major Cable Network’s advertising sales planning group for their multiple Networks (multiplex). His responsibilities included preparing advertising revenue analysis, maintaining revenue forecasting models, budget tracking, assisting in the annual budget development process, managing commercial inventory utilization, conducting monthly reconciliation’s with financial teams and developing new reporting tools for management. His technology acumen with specific software utilized in the broadcasting industry were also “ideas” as they were being implemented in the client company and this new Vice President could lead this finance technology effort. Prior to the above position this executive was a Senior Strategic Planning Analyst in New Business Development and facilitated the financial analysis and marketing analysis for multiple networks (multiplex) owned by another major media and entertainment conglomerate. His capacity to identify strategic partnership opportunities for programming and interactive services, development of business models, revenue reporting, content licensing, budget development and management of the cable/interactive media plans for strategic partners in conjunction with Network production and operations teams, honed his ability to work across all lines business. His experience reporting directly to the Network President and Vice President of New Business Development as well as functioning as lead with Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young, prepared him well for the duties he would take on at the new Network and the reporting structures he would implement when interacting with the CFO (corporate).
Since completing this search the executive has been promoted in a brief period of time and has successfully instituted financial policy, functioned as a change agent and hired financial directors and analysts to institute the strategic goals set by the President when Filcro Media Staffing was retained. Additional case histories available upon request This URL: http://executivesearch.tv/html/director_network_sales_finance.html
Filcro Media Staffing, All rights reserved, 1985 - 2012 Filcro Media Staffing - National Media and Broadcasting Executive Search Firms - Tony Filson Selected Case Histories of media financial executives identified as the retained search firm of record | ||||||||||||||||||
International media and broadcasting executive search firms across multiple media platforms. | ||||||||||||||||||
