UK – The head of pensions at TV company Carlton Communications, Gerry White, is to leave following Carlton’s merger with Granada.

“My future plans are still uncertain but I am hoping to get a short term position in pensions management/consultancy,” said the 63-year-old White, group pensions manager and secretary at Carlton.

The Carlton-Granada merger united the two largest players in the UK’s commercial television network, ITV. The merger resulted in the departure of top Carlton executives including chairman Michael Green, incidentally a Carlton pension trustee.

White added that Granada’s pension manager Christine Jackson was to become head of pensions for ITV Plc when it comes into existence on February 2.

He said that Carlton’s three schemes, one open and two closed, would continue to be run separately initially.

“But I'm sure that the policy will be to merge them in due course and after the necessary consultations with the respective trustees.”

In November the partners said the merger would produce cost savings of hundreds of millions of pounds.