Norton resigns as CEO of Screen West Midlands

Suzie Norton has resigned from her post as chief executive of Birmingham based regional screen agency Screen West Midlands.

Norton, who was named Vitalise Businesswoman of the year in 2010, had held the post since 2007.

The news comes during a period of uncertainty for the regions as the eight existing regional screen agencies are replaced by new umbrella body Creative England, which is meant to be fully operational by October.

However, it appears that the transition is not happening as smoothly as Creative England bosses might have hoped.

Last week Creative England head John Newbigin issued a letter to the industry addressing various concerns over the structure of the newly formed body - which will be made up of three subsidiary companies, Creative South, Central and North, with “hubs” in the cities of Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester - a decision that was never up for industry consultation.

In December, Norton had registered Creative Central as a separate company at Companies House.

Newbigin said of the news: “Suzie has been a highly effective and focused Chief Executive who raised both the ambition and the profile of Screen WM.  She not only developed a strategy for the organisation that re-engineered it for a digital future but made a significant contribution to policy development at a national level, with consequent benefit for other regional screen agencies across England.”

Norton said that “with a new support structure for the screen industries about to be launched, I feel it is the right time for me to leave and move on the next challenge.”

Vision and Media CEO Alice Morrison also stepped down from her post as CEO of the Manchester based regional agency in December.

Newbigin previously told Screen that the new CEO jobs for Creative England would be formally advertised shortly.