New MD For Friends Reunited

Andy Baker, group director of digital recruitment at Trinity Mirror, is to join Friends Reunited Group as managing director.

His new role will encompass the overall P&L responsibilities for the Friends Reunited business, Genes Reunited and Friends Reunited dating.

Michael Murphy, Tim Ward and Rob Mogford, the three co-owners of Friends Reunited, will all remain with the business until the end of 2008. Murphy, the current CEO, will have a period of handover to Andy Baker, before moving to join the Friends Reunited Board as a non-exec director.

Ward will move from being marketing director of Friends Reunited, to a similar role for ITV Consumer, where he will assist with the proposition development of all ITV’s online properties. Rob Mogford will remain in post as FD until the end of 2008.

ITV acquired Friends Reunited in 2005 (see ITV Plans Online Expansion With Friends Reunited Purchase) at the height of its popularity. However, the latest figures from Nielsen Online show that the site dropped out of the top ten social media websites in April (see YouTube ‘Most Popular Social Media Site’).

Jeff Henry, MD of ITV consumer said: “This is a fantastic recruit for ITV and Friends Reunited and we look forward to the wealth of knowledge and experience that Andy will bring to the role. There have been some significant changes to the Friends Reunited website recently and we hope that this new look site will help ITV to build its online presence and make the transition from traditional broadcaster to a multi-media content provider.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Michael, Tim, Rob and the Friends Reunited team for their hard work over the past three years, during which they have continued to build the incredible strength and breadth of the brand, grown the membership to 21 million members and nearly trebled its profits.”

ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com