EVP, Global Production, IMG
Barney Francis joined IMG as Executive Vice President, Head of Global Production, in November 2021.
Widely-respected as one of the leading sports production executives in the world, Francis was largely responsible for establishing Sky Sports as the leading UK sports broadcaster during his 20-year spell with the organization.
As Managing Director, he grew the channel offering from 5 channels to 11, adding premium sports such as Formula 1, the Masters, The Open and NBA to the portfolio while also increasing the number of Premier League matches shown on Sky. He also oversaw continued technological innovation with developments in 3D, Ultra HD, virtual reality and the continued growth of Sky Sports’ digital, social and online presence.
Prior to his role as Managing Director, Francis was Sky Sports’ Executive Producer for Football and Cricket, producing a range of live coverage, support programming and sport news content. His production credits include the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, the ICC Cricket World Cup and Test cricket.