THE DAILY BRIEFING

TV JOB Entertainment producer STV has hired ITV executive Simon Pitts as its chief executive. Pitts, who will join next January, is managing director, online, pay TV, interactive and technology at ITV.

WIND BID Renewable energy investor Greencoat UK Wind has bought two wind farms – one off the North Wales coast, the other off Tyrone, Northern Ireland – for around £105m.

SITE DEAL Digital marketing company XLMedia has bought US price comparison website Money Under 30 for £5.4m.

EGG GO-AHEAD Pharmaceutical firm Eco Animal Health has been given permission to start selling a medicine for chickens laying eggs for human consumption in Turkey. The drug, called Aivlosin, is used to treat infections in the birds caused by a bacteria called Mycoplasma.

STAKE BOUGHT Martin Sorrellled advertising giant WPP has bought a majority stake in Dubaibased marketing agency Hug Digital through its subsidiary Grey for an undisclosed amount.

DOCTOR ROLE Dr Regina Benjamin, a former US surgeon general, has been appointed as a non-executive director of UK medical technology firm ConvaTec Group.

DOUBLE UP Paul CampbellWhite, Warner Bros’s UK finance chief, will join former managing director of Warner Bros Television Production UK Claire Hungate at London-based digital media firm Brave Bison. BIT BOOST Internet currency Bitcoin has surged above $4,000 per unit for the first time as speculators continue to bet on its growth. PROFITS PLUNGE Profits at small investment bank Gleacher Shacklock fell 53pc to £7.8m last year due to falling demand for dealmakers after the Brexit vote. BANK EXIT Ian Narev, the boss of Commonwealth Bank of Australia, will quit next June after allegations by Australian authorities that its systems were used by drug dealers to launder tens of millions of pounds of dirty money. The bank said a problem in the way its computer systems were designed was to blame. DRILLING STARTS North Sea oil and gas company Jersey Oil and Gas said drilling has started on its Verbier prospect, which is estimated to have 162m barrels of oil equivalent.