IPC Media set for complete restructure

IPC Media is set to close IPC TX and IPC Ignite under a complete restructure of the business.

Evelyn Webster, CEO of IPC said the new company structure will be organised around three audience groups – men, mass-market women and up-market women.

The changes will see IPC Inspire become the men’s division, which will comprise of leisure, men’s lifestyles and music brands, headed up by managing director Paul Williams.

IPC Connect will take on the mass-market women’s arm, which features women’s weeklies, the goodtoknow network and the TV entertainment brands.

The upmarket women’s operation will sit under IPC Southbank, which will continue to comprise of the fashion, beauty and home interests brands that are looked after by managing director Jackie Newcombe.

“Through our iconic print and online brands, IPC delivers huge, powerful audiences to our clients and business partners,” Webster said.  “However, while our current structure has served us well over many years, it now no longer fully reflects our clients’ business needs.

“Reach, as well as the delivery of tightly targeted audiences, has never been more important. By organising IPC by consumer audience, rather than by magazine frequency or subject area, we will create a more market-facing structure, which will also bring greater coherence to our operations.”

IPC also announced the appointment of Charlie Meredith, previously MD of IPC TX, to the newly created board role of MD of Central Operations.  He will be responsible for the majority of central operations including IPC Direct, the direct marketing division; IPC Plus, the syndication and licensing division and Production.

However, as a result of restructure, IPC Ignite’s managing director Eric Fuller will be leaving the publisher at the end of December.

The changes will also see the loss of other roles at IPC.  The company will begin a period of consultation with affected employees from 20 November.