ESPN lines up replacement for Lynne Frank

Sports broadcaster ESPN is preparing to announce the appointment of Ross Hair as its new head of operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Hair will join from Sony Pictures Television and will bring an end to a five month search for a replacement for Lynne Frank who left the position citing personal reasons in April.

Hair’s appointment will mark his second stint at ESPN, having previously worked for the company’s Star Sports business in Singapore.

Before that, he spent five years at children’s television channel Nickelodeon in the UK, joining from BSkyB.

It is not yet known when Hair will take up his new role, but until that time, the businesses will be overseen by Russell Wolff, executive vice president of ESPN International.

Frank was a highly respected member of the ESPN team, who oversaw the acquisitions of Cricinfo.com and Scrum.com during her five years in the job.