UK’s C4 hires Unilad & Ladbible exec to lead digital commissioning

Sacha Khari

Channel 4 in the UK has appointed a former video chief at entertainment sites UNILAD and LADbible to oversee the broadcaster’s digital originals.

Sacha Khari takes up the newly created role of head of digital commissioning at C4, reporting into head of youth and digital, Karl Warner.

Khari will take on responsibility for all digital content commissioning and acquisition across social and digital platforms, working with the Leeds-based 4Studio.

He will also oversee a team of digital commissioners, including: Laura Marks who commissions branded ents and factual; Navi Lamba who is across E4, ents and Teens; and a third digital commissioner whose main focus will be comedy, who is yet to be appointed.

Khari was previously group director of video at UNILAD before moving to LADbible Group as head of video, and also had a stint as head of video at publisher Bauer Media.

Doubling down on digital

C4 has also added two new commissioning execs to Khari’s team, who will report into Marks. Evie Buckley joins from Acme Films while Joe Churchill previously worked at the BBC, and will join existing digital commissioning exec Thomas Pullen.

Ian KatzChannel 5

The appointments comes six months since C4 unveiled new digital plans as part of its Future4 strategy and three months since a commissioning overhaul designed to simplify the content team. The latter gave former head of programming Ian Katz – who became chief content officer in the new structure – all editorial decision making across linear, streaming and social.

Warner said: “Sacha brings with him an absolute wealth of experience in producing digital content that young audiences love, and alongside the brilliant 4Studio, who’ve produced amazing content this last year, we look forward to cementing our digital ambitions and playing a big part in the success of the Future4 strategy.”

Khari added: “Channel 4 has bookmarked my life with content that has defined me – I can’t wait to play a role in bringing this warmth to both digital audiences and new communities.”

The broadcaster has also named four production companies which will create new digital content aimed at 13-16 year-olds for its Teens strand, to be shared across E4’s social platforms.

Warner and head of entertainment, Phil Harris, will oversee the initiative, which will be managed by digital commissioner, Navi Lamba. The four produces selected are: Cornershop TV; True North; The Connected Set; and VICE Studios.