EXCLUSIVE: ITN‘s new CEO Ian Rumsey has said that his elevation was a surprise.

In an email to staff (below in full), Rumsey acknowledged that he was as shocked as anyone to be replacing Rachel Corp, who stepped down from running the UK news producer with immediate effect on Tuesday.

Rumsey’s promotion was all the more unusual because he had only recently accepted another job at Zinc Media Group, a rival factual producer.

“Someone once told me that the definition of news is something that surprises you. In which case, today’s announcement was very big news for everyone at ITN, I’m sure,” Rumsey told staff.

“Certainly a turn of events that I didn’t see coming when I resigned to take up another job, just last month. I’d never expected or even wanted to leave ITN. But then an offer came along from a good company which at the time I didn’t feel able to refuse. But this is CEO of ITN. My home. I had to accept. Without hesitation.”

The abrupt leadership change sent shockwaves through ITN, which produces ITV and Channel 4’s news output, as well as Good Morning Britain and Paramount’s 5 News.

Insiders described it as “ruthless” and “brutal,” despite Corp saying it was her decision to seek new challenges. Rumsey told staff that Corp will “always be a friend of ITN,” though there were no words for the ex-CEO in a statement issued by Kyla Mullins, ITN’s chair.

There is speculation that Corp has been courting interest from the BBC, which is on the hunt for a new news boss after the departure of Deborah Turness last year.

ITN insiders have also pointed out that Corp’s exit follows the company settling a lawsuit from 5 News presenter Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije, who claimed unfair dismissal, discrimination and harassment on grounds of race and sex, and breach of contract.

In a LinkedIn post, Corp reflected on her tenure as CEO over nearly four years, including the company generating a billion digital views a month, BAFTA awards, and the deal to make Good Morning Britain.

“I am really looking forward to what comes next for me and the various things I am working on – watch this space! And I will watch ITN’s continued growth with pride,” she added.

Rumsey said ITN was facing “a lot of uncertainties” in the industry, but urged the company to take big swings. “We won’t always get them right. But we should always make bold, brave decisions,” he said. “We should always act with confidence. We don’t punch above our weight. Because we ARE a heavyweight.”

Rumsey has run ITN’s production arm since 2021, producing factual output, including Netflix’s The Investigation of Lucy Letby and the Manhunt series.

Ian Rumsey email to staff:

Hello,

Someone once told me that the definition of news is something that surprises you.

In which case, today’s announcement was very big news for everyone at ITN, I’m sure.

Certainly a turn of events that I didn’t see coming when I resigned to take up another job, just last month.

I’d never expected or even wanted to leave ITN. But then an offer came along from a good company which at the time I didn’t feel able to refuse.

But this is CEO of ITN. My home. I had to accept. Without hesitation.

I want to begin by once again thanking Rachel and wishing her great happiness and success. Rachel has ITN in her blood. Every role she’s undertaken over the past three decades, she’s always done with complete dedication and with the company’s best interests at heart. She has achieved a huge amount. Just as importantly, she’s a thoroughly decent person. She has many friends here, and will always be a friend of ITN.

This is a relatively brief note to tell you how privileged and grateful I am to be given this role, and this opportunity.

Very soon, I will talk to the whole company in person – to share my thoughts, priorities and set out a clear direction for ITN. A date will be going into your diaries in the next few days.

Before then, over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be dropping in on all the newsrooms and visiting departments across the company to talk, and to listen, and to also meet some of you who may not know me.

I first came to ITN in 2005 and worked in ITV News, spent a relatively short time away, came back to run ITN Productions and… despite announcing my departure recently… I’m now staying.

I understand the unique nature of news as well as the commercial content side of the business. But the fact is, I’m basically a producer. The most fun I’ll ever have is not in a boardroom, but in a gallery… or an edit.. winning a commission or on a shoot.

The CEO doesn’t need to be the best at everything – which is very lucky for me – but they should be solely focused on trying to help everyone be the best THEY can be. And fortunately, here, we have a superb group of Editors and leaders as well as hundreds of amazing, talented people.

So what kind of CEO will I be?

Well, I’ve only been doing it for a couple of hours so ultimately, that will be for you to judge… but here’s how I aim to tackle this role from day one:

As someone who shares their vision WITH you and is also visible TO you. I will spend plenty of time on the shop floors.

Who listens as well as speaks. I want to know what you think. We may not always agree, but we’ll always be able to have an open conversation.

Who leads but is also here to serve: someone who has got your back. Because let’s be clear, we ask an awful lot of you – and you should demand an awful lot back. I work for the company… but I also work for you.

Someone who is, I hope, authentic and straightforward. I’ll tell you how it is, good or bad.

And someone who always aims to act swiftly and decisively.

Sometimes I’ll get those decisions wrong. Making mistakes is fine, we all do it. Better to have tried and sometimes failed than never tried at all. And a lot of the time, a wrong decision – which you can recover from quickly – is better than not making one at all.

ITN needs to take big swings. We won’t always get them right. But we should always make bold, brave decisions.

We should always act with confidence. We don’t punch above our weight. Because we ARE a heavyweight.

We should be proud of our past… but focussed on our future.

The world in which we exist is changing very fast.

We need to think of ourselves – even more than we do now – as a content company: a totally platform-agnostic content company.

That evolution doesn’t diminish the importance of our core business. News is our foundation and will continue to be utterly essential in the years ahead. And our newsrooms are already leading the charge with enormous success on digital platforms, alongside our new digital division.

But we must be even more ambitious. Constantly looking and finding even more new ways to grow and diversify beyond TV. The work has already begun in ITN Productions – we need to be faster and braver than we’ve ever been.

And we simply must have a building and a workplace that is both fit for purpose, and worthy of a great modern company. As soon as practicably possible.

There is a big in-tray on my desk. There are a lot of issues to deal with and a lot of uncertainties in this industry. It won’t be easy.

But when have we ever not faced problems? And when have we ever not risen to meet them?

So… the challenges are real. But so are the opportunities. And we should be ready and optimistic.

Because we’re ITN: and because this place and the people in it are unique. Whether you’re in this country or around the world, on screen or off, a storyteller or a member of our emormously hard-working support teams.

Nowhere has the attitude, character and mentality that’s found here. We don’t ask “why?” We say “why not?”

I’m privileged to be a part of that team.

Thanks,

Ian (does anyone know how you change your email signature?)

Ian Rumsey
Chief Content Officer