Clear Channel Appoints New MD To Unite Group

Outdoor advertising specialist, Clear Channel, has appointed Julie France as its new group managing director, overseeing the company’s numerous billboard formats, including Adshel, non-roadside sites and transit locations.

Reporting to Stevie Spring, chief executive of Clear Channel UK, France’s new role will see her replace Jonathan Lewis, who is leaving Clear Channel Billboards to pursue his own business interests.

France’s 20-year career has spanned the outdoor, press and magazine industries, having joined Clear Channel from Express Newspapers in 1998 as sales and marketing director, before becoming managing director of Adshel in March 2001.

Commenting on France’s promotion, which will come into immediate effect, Stevie Spring said: “Julie has demonstrated her great leadership at Adshel, first as sales director and later as managing director so this promotion is richly deserved. Adshel has gone from strength to strength under Julie’s tenure. The business has grown 50% in the past 3 years, so she is ideally placed to take our billboard business forward and integrate our offer to market.”

He added: “The natural consequence of bringing all our brands under a single management structure will make working across formats easier, and mean a much tighter access to Clear Channel for our clients, customers and partners.”

Elsewhere, Rob Atkinson, recently appointed as sales director of Adshel from Associated Newspapers, will now become the company’s group sales director.

Clear Channel is currently locked in a battle for control of London Underground’s £1.2 billion advertising contract, competing against the incumbent Viacom Outdoor and JC Decaux. Others reportedly bidding for the contract include SMG’s Primesight, Spanish advertising group, Cemusa, KBH Transport Media, Media Initiatives Group, Stroer Out of Home Media, Insight Outdoor and T4 Media (see Ten Firms To Contest Underground Ad Contract).

Clear Channel: 0207 478 2928 www.clearchannel.co.uk