Times Parts Ways With Advertising Head After Shake-Up
Times Newspapers is to part company with its group advertising director, John Trickett, who is stepping down at the end of this month after five years in the job.
News of Trickett’s departure comes just weeks after a review of the group’s senior management structure and the appointment of Mike Gordon to the newly created position of commercial director with responsibility for the entire advertising department (see Times Newspapers Appoints New Commercial Head).
The restructure meant that Trickett reported to Gordon instead of directly to general manager Paul Hayes. It is understood that Times Newspapers intends to appoint a replacement advertising director.
Trickett joined Times Newspapers in 1998 and was previously head of classified advertising sales at the Evening Standard. He is leaving by ‘mutual agreement’ and it is believed that he does not have another job to go to.
Commenting on Trickett’s departure, Clive Milner, managing director of Times Newspapers, said: “I would like to thank John for his contribution to News International during his time with the company. We wish him every success for the future.”
Trickett is the third senior advertising chief to leave a national newspaper in recent months. Mirror Group Newspapers parted ways with its advertising director, Neil Hurman, back in August and Len Sanderson, managing director of sales at the Telegraph Group stepped down last week (see Telegraph Parts Ways With Managing Director Of Sales).
The spate of departures comes after a year of severe pressure on advertising revenues in the wake of the economic downturn and the recent war in Iraq. Annual figures from the Advertising Association show that national newspapers suffered a 6.4% year on year decline in adspend during 2002 (see Nominal Growth For Advertising Market In 2002).
The latest ABC figures for the six months to September 2003 show that the Times saw its circulation decline by 9% year on year to 634,232. The Sunday Times also suffered with a 2.6% dip during the same period to 1,357,869 (see ABC National Newspaper Round-Up – September 2003).
News International: 020 7782 392 www.newscorp.co.uk
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