Geater named Pact chair

Former FremantleMedia UK CEO Sara Geater has been named chairman of British indie production body Pact.

Geater left FremantleMedia at the end of May this year, with Richard Holloway stepping up to replace her in the interim.

No full-time replacement has been named at FremantleMedia, but Geater will now work alongside Pact CEO John McVay in her new post after replacing Debbie Manners.

Pact has also announced a new-look council comprising Wingspan Productions creative director Archie Brown, TVT Productions chairman Bernard Clark, Hat Trick Productions group commercial director Paul Cohn, Zig Zag Productions CEO Danny Fenton, Reef Television director of television Paul Hanrahan, DoubleBand Films co-founder Dermot Lavery, Nine Lives Media managing director Cat Lewis, Outline Productions MD Laura Mansfield, Raise the Roof Productions boss Jane Muirhead, Midnight Oil Productions CEO Gillane Seaborne and Hartswood Films board director Sue Vertue.

All the new posts run for two years, beginning in January 2015.

Geater spent seven years at FremantleMedia, and was previously director of rights and head of business affairs at the BBC and head of production at Film Four. She is currently executive chair of Emerald Films.

‘The Manifesto for Growth very clearly states Pact’s intentions for enabling the indie sector to thrive and grow, increasing its wealth both culturally and fiscally to the Creative Industries. I’m delighted to be elected as chair to play my part in delivering that strategy,” said Geater.

“I really want to thank Debbie Manners, the previous chair and all those council members who are leaving or have left council this year for giving their valuable time and bringing their expertise to debates and issues – thank you,” she added. “At the same I’d like to welcome the new members and I look forward to working with the new Pact council.”