Nickelodeon UK has upped Alison Bakunowich (pictured) to replace outgoing GM Tina McCann, who is departing from the post she has held for the past six years to pursue opportunities as a freelance executive coach and media consultant.

With McCann at helm, Nickelodeon’s UK network is in the midst of five straight years with growth in viewer share, thanks to original UK commissions such as Puffin Rock and Lily’s Driftwood Bay.

Before Nick UK, McCann was SVP and GM of Turner Broadcasting’s EMEA division and helped launched 17 channels in a variety of languages during her more than 10 years at the company. She has also run her own coaching and consultancy business.

Bakunowich assumes her new GM role in March and will take over management of Nickelodeon UK’s network of TV channels and multiplatform properties, which are run as a JV between Sky and Nickelodeon’s parent co. Viacom International Media Networks.

Bakunowich, who joined Nickelodeon in 2008 in her native Australia, has been VP of editorial for Nickelodeon UK since September. Before that, she served as VP of creative, marketing and communications.