DDS Suffers More Management Departures

Donovan Data Systems (DDS) is set to lose two more of its senior management team, following last month’s announcement that media director Jeff Eales is to leave the company to head BSkyB’s Systems and Development division.

Mathilde Sanson, managing director of DDS UK & Ireland, is understood to be returning to the USA at the end of the month, while Susan Marmor, Eales’ fellow media director, has already left the company.

Sanson first joined DDS in New York in 1985. Prior to her recent move to the UK, she was senior vice president of one of the largest New York account teams and was also media director for all US-based systems, however, a spokeswoman for DDS ruled out a return to the company in America.

Marmor has also been at DDS since 1985, spending her first 18 years in Client Service, latterly as a group account director, before becoming media director, agency for UK & Ireland in 2003.

Sanson’s departure will see Henry Lawson, current president and chief operating officer, take over as acting managing director of the company while replacements are sought, a process which has yet to yield any concrete appointments.

The high-level departures are the latest in a spate of resignations at DDS, following Jeff Eales decision last month to move to BSkyB, where he will be charged with revamping Sky’s current airtime sales systems, as well as developing sales methodology through e-trading and BARB (see Sky Signs DDS Research Boss To Overhaul Airtime Sales).

DDS: 020 7255 7000 www.dds.co.uk