As President of PactUS, the organization representing independent U.S. content and TV producers, David Lyle brings 30 years of international experience in television production with a unique expertise in unscripted entertainment and time spent as both a program buyer and seller.

Before joining PactUS for its 2015 launch, Lyle served as CEO of National Geographic Channels, the cable and satellite programming venture of Fox Cable Networks and the National Geographic Society. In his three years running National Geographic Channel and its sister networks, Nat Geo WILD and Nat Geo Mundo, Lyle dramatically expanded the variety of programming offered, from drama docs and “occu-soaps” to telepic events and studio-based series.

Lyle’s series-driven strategy, led by hit shows like Wicked Tuna and Life Below Zero, as well as high-profile specials such as Killing Kennedy, yielded a sharp rise in ratings and revenues. Under Lyle’s leadership, National Geographic Channel’s net operating profit grew from $72 million in fiscal year 2011 to $133 million in fiscal year 2014, while its net advertising revenues improved from $100 million to $148 million over the same period.

Prior to National Geographic, Lyle was president of Fox LOOK, a business unit he launched to handle international distribution for Fox Network Group’s unscripted entertainment TV programming at the time. Previously, Lyle spent five years as president of Fox Reality Channel, which he launched for Fox Cable Networks in 2005, was profitable within its first 18 months and grew to 35 million subscribers within two years.

Lyle joined Fox after achieving great success in the production world as President of Entertainment for FremantleMedia North America from 2001-04. There, he developed, sold and produced shows for both broadcast networks and cable outlets including the smash Fox hit American Idol, CBS’ Cupid, MTV’s Your Face or Mine and Discovery’s Date Patrol, as well as unscripted shows for Food Network, Lifetime, GSN and Pax.

Lyle came to Los Angeles in 2001 from London, where at production giant and Fremantle-predecessor Pearson Television he served as head of worldwide development and acquisitions.

A native of Sydney, Australia, Lyle earned a degree in geology and geophysics from the University of Sydney. He first worked as an exploration geologist and high school chemistry teacher before entering the television business as a writer and segment producer for the TEN and Australian Broadcasting Networks in Australia before landing at NINE Network in 1988 as a program creator and executive producer.

Lyle rose to become head of development and acquisitions for NINE, overseeing production of original local lifestyle series along with the acquisition and subsequent local production of international formats such as Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?, Animal Hospital and Changing Rooms/Trading Spaces. His forays into reality production at NINE paved the way for the move abroad to Pearson and the dynamic international TV production and distribution market.

Speaking on: In Conversation with Nigel Lythgoe; Formats: What's Working Where, and Why?