Network Ten has lured Mindshare’s Melissa Fein over to join its new sales operation Generate, described by boss Louise Barrett as the first change in free-to-air TV network sales for 30 years.

Barrett has taken the reigns of Ten’s sales functions after the last sales director, Barry O’Brien, parted ways with the broadcaster last month.

Generate will be set up like an agency with creatives and will look to engage with clients further upstream in the content creation process, ensuring greater integration of brands and programming.

However, Barrett (pictured right) insisted to B&T it is not meant to threaten agencies, but help facilitate with them: “We’re having fantastic discussions with media agencies and clients about bringing their brands to life across multi screens.”

Activations and sponsorships on the channel’s premium assets are a key pillar of the new department, with the recently acquired Big Bash League one of the first properties taken under the wing of Generate.

The division will be led by Kylie Rogers (pictured left) with Fein, previously head of entertainment and sports partnerships for Mindshare, one of two national directors alongside Aaron Quirk.

While the new department will be competing against Seven’s Red and Nine’s Powered divisions, which sell across multiple platforms, Rogers said: “While Red and Powered are powerful brands, it’s important to us we build a point of difference.

“We will really focus on creating content, and getting these ideas amplified in offline and online environments. We’re platform agnostic in our approach, and will be looking to bring brands to life in broadcast and various different ways.”

The new division comes hot on the heels of Ten setting up new trading and client service departments, headed by Rod Prosser and Kelly Healy respectively.

It signals intent from new CEO Hamish McLellan to get closer to customers, as he looks to drive revenues back into the number three TV network, which has seen up upswing in its share of newly stated target demographic of 25 – 54.