OPera Radio Director Steps Down

Omnicom’s pooled buying arm, OPera Media, has announced the departure of its radio director Jonathan Gillespie, who leaves the firm with no new position to take up, ending his relationship with the company he joined at its launch last year.

The radio chief’s departure is believed to have been amicable, with Gillespie now taking a break to go travelling.

The departure will mark the end of a seven year career with OMD UK, which Gillespie joined in 1998 before joning OPera at its launch last year. OPera was created as a pooled buying point by Omnicom-owned agencies OMD UK, Manning Gottlieb OMD and PHD Group.

The consolidated buying giant controlled more than £1 billion worth of media billings, run as a joint venture company with OMD and PHD Group as its main shareholders (see Omnicom Pools Resources To Form UK Buying Point).

Explaining the move, Gillespie said: “I feel I have achieved a great deal in my time at OMD UK and then OPera, but I now want to take this opportunity to broaden my experience in a different but related field.”

In the absence of a replacement, Gillespie’s responsibilities will be assumed by OPera’s joint managing directors Marc Bignell and John Overend.

OPera Media: 020 7908 3560 www.operamedia.net