Production company Somethin' Else is restructuring its radio department so it can integrate digital strategies into its radio work.
Robert Abel will become the firm's first ever Head of Radio ad Nicky Birch is named Head of Radio Development.
Robert will be responsible for overseeing all radio output and staff. Nicky has a remit to develop ideas using radio and online interactivity and secure large commissions with BBC and non-BBC clients.
Steve Ackerman, Managing Director of Somethin' Else, said: "These changes reflect our desire to maintain and further grow our leading position in radio production through strong management, high editorial standards and exciting new ideas, particularly involving interactive thinking. Robert and Nicky are extremely talented and ambitious professionals who are integral to our future success."
Robert joined Somethin’ Else in 2000 to work on Radio 3's contemporary jazz strand Jazz on 3, later overseeing the expansion of the jazz department. He became Head of Speech and Jazz in 2007. Since then, his team have had notable successes such as the groundbreaking Radio 4 series 1968: Day by Day presented by Sir John Tusa and its award-winning follow up 1989: Day by Day; winning the contract to produce Radio 4's iconic Gardeners' Question Time in 2009; and winning innovative drama commissions with Radio 3 and Radio 4 in 2010.
Nicky previously oversaw all of Somethin' Else's music and sports radio programmes for the BBC. She joined Somethin' Else in 2000 and rose to become a respected music documentary feature maker and format developer. She has produced content for all the BBC and most commercial radio networks and has won five Sony Awards.
Somethin' Else’s radio department is the UK's biggest radio production company, making shows for all BBC national networks as well as commercial broadcasters. Radio clients include Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, 5 live, 6 Music, Absolute Radio, British Airways and sixty international stations.