True North hires Ricochet exec as co-founders step down

True North has hired Ricochet executive Katy Thorogood as a chief creative officer in a reshuffle of the business instigated by co-founders Andrew Sheldon and Jess Fowle’s decision to step down after 20 years.

Chief operating officer Norma Wisnevitz, who has been with the Leeds-based indie for three years, steps up to joint chief creative officer alongside Thorogood.

Thorogood leaves Ricochet after eight years as creative director, overseeing shows such as BBC1’s The Repair Shop and The Bidding Room, BBC2’s Jay’s Workshop and Britain’s Top Takeaways and Discovery show Kings of the Wood.

She has previously been an ITV commissioning editor, firstly in daytime then in factual, ordering shows from Secret Dealers to Harry’s South Pole Heroes as well as ITV2’s Magaluf Weekender and The Big Reunion.

Other roles she has held include North One head of factual and features and Discovery UK director of programmes.

Sheldon and Fowle, who started North One with Glyn Middleton in 2002, hailed a new era for the company.

“Katy and Norma will do a terrific job of nurturing everything that is special about our company,” said Sheldon, who said Thorogood was “universally respected” for her creativity.

He added: “The pair of them will be heading up a team that is already one of the very best in the business, and it leaves us confident that True North will be in good hands as it goes forward into a new era.”

True North employs 150 people across its Leeds base and Manchester office, runs a post-production arm and produces more than 100 hours of TV a year, including Channel 4’s A New Life in the Sun and MTV’s Teen Mom UK.

In 2014, it was one of the first companies to receive investment from Channel 4’s Indie Growth Fund and within three years it left the fund when it was bought by Sky Studios.

Fowle added: “True North is so much more than a production company – its unique culture has nurtured some of nation’s top programme makers and been the launch pad for many careers.”

In further internal promotions at the indie, Christian Hills and Fiona Sullivan become creative directors in Leeds and Manchester respectively, while Elaine Morris becomes head of promotion.