Bala will be responsible for ITV’s group-wide data and artificial intelligence strategy, leading a data science and analytics team and working with ITV’s commercial teams, direct to consumer business, broadcast, studios, marketing and strategy functions, the management board and advertisers.

He will report to Rufus Radcliffe, ITV’s chief marketing officer and director of direct to consumer.

He is currently head of data science for consumer and strategy at Channel 4, and prior to this, he led the broadcaster’s planning and analytics. He has previously held roles at PwC, Dunnhumby and tech startups.

Radcliffe said: “Sanjeevan has a proven track record of using data to drive commercial value, and we look forward to him building upon the foundations already established to take ITV’s data strategy to the next level.”