Channel 4 swaps CIO role for 'controller of systems delivery'; hires Charlotte Light

Light was previously IT director of corporate services at Specsavers

Channel 4 has hired Specsavers' IT director of corporate services, Charlotte Light, to become its first ever "controller of systems delivery".

The organisation has done away with the title "CIO" after Kevin Gallagher stepped down from that role to join HM Courts and Tribunals Service in June. The firm said that the role of chief information officer will now instead be called the "controller of systems delivery".

In this new role, Light will be responsible for managing the work of all systems delivery teams in determining and delivering Channel 4's technology strategy across all areas of the business, particularly ad sales, content and rights management, corporate and Channel 4's on-demand TV service All 4.

Light will report into Channel 4's director of strategy and technology, and will work alongside CTO Orpheus Warr - who was promoted in February - and the head of content management Rachel Yendoll.

Light has held several roles at Specsavers, starting as head of business systems retail and corporate back in August 2010, and becoming IT director of the global supply chain in December 2011. She was then made IT director of corporate services in June 2013. During her time at Specsavers, she was responsible for delivering all work programmes and the overhaul of major systems.

In a statement, Underwood said that Light was "an excellent fit for Channel 4" and brought "a wealth of systems delivery discipline and expertise to the business".

Light began her new role today. On the task ahead of her she said:

"It's an exciting time in IT with rapid advancements in technology and digital and I'm looking forward to working with the talented team at Channel 4."