Bauer Media appoints Richard Dawkins as European radio COO

Richard Dawkins (not that one) will be joining Bauer Media’s European radio division as COO in the late spring.

Dawkins is currently chief operating officer of BBC Content, which commissions and schedules programmes across the broadcaster’s terrestrial channels and BBC iPlayer, as well as BBC Sport across TV, radio and online.

In his new role, he will work alongside the senior radio management teams to identify new market and commercial opportunities and will also lead development of Bauer’s European audio businesses.

“It’s a brilliant time to be joining Bauer Media with commercial radio thriving and digital and IP distribution offering new, exciting opportunities for innovation in audio,” Dawkins said.

He will report into Paul Keenan, CEO of Bauer Media UK and European radio, who added that Dawkin’s “wealth of experience” across media strategy, operations and change management will be of “immense value” as the company looks to accelerate its growth across Europe.

Bauer reaches 25 million listeners a day across seven European countries, including the UK, Sweden, Poland and Slovakia.