Future announces senior management appointments and promotions in UK publishing operation
9 May 2007 - Future plc, the international enthusiast media group, today announces several new senior management appointments within its UK business, Future Publishing Limited.
Future's UK Managing Director Robert Price has been promoted to the newly-created position of Chief Executive of Future UK, reporting to Future plc Chief Executive Stevie Spring.
At the same time, Group Publishing Director Simon Wear is appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Future UK. The new COO role reflects Wear's broad operational remit which includes responsibility for Future's international licensing business.
Commenting on these appointments, Stevie Spring, Chief Executive, Future plc says:
"We have introduced these two new roles to recognise the seniority at the helm of our UK business and to bring our top level management structure more in line with the broader based content organisations we now compete with. Both Robert and Simon have played a crucial part in the restructure and refocus of Future over the past year and I'm delighted to recognise their contribution in this way."
Publishing promotions
Elsewhere, Future is announcing a number of senior management appointments within its UK portfolio of over 140 consumer magazines and websites.
James Binns, Stuart Anderton and Peter Stothard become Publishing Directors of the games, computing & photography and automotive portfolios respectively, while Publishers Matt Pierce (games), Kelly Corten (computing & photography) and Paul Sloggett (automotive) are promoted to the positions of Group Publisher.
Mia Walter moves into the role of Publishing Development Director from her current position of Group Publisher (games). In her new role, Mia will be working on new launch projects as well as concentrating on the further development of the publishing teams.
James Ashton becomes Group Publisher, Games Digital, which more accurately reflects James's complete focus on the development of Future's videogames digital businesses such as gamesradar.com and computerandvideogames.com.
Announcing these appointments, Robert Price, Chief Executive, Future UK, says:
"As we continue to develop a cross-channel approach, rapidly bringing our print and online businesses together, it's vital that we take steps to keep our best people, while attracting the finest talent the industry has to offer.
"We are building a structure that delivers promotion opportunities for consistently excellent performers and I'm delighted to appoint James, Stuart and Peter to their new Publishing Director roles, which recognises their outstanding performance and contribution in driving our business. Congratulations also to Matt, Kelly and Paul for their well-deserved moves to Group Publisher."
Last month, Future announced the appointment of former BT marketer Matt Woods as Digital Marketing Director and former Times Newspapers executive Daniel Ward Lee as Digital Commercial Director.
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For more information:
Stevie Spring, Chief Executive, Future plc, 020 7042 4000
Robert Price, Chief Executive, Future Publishing 01225 442244
Will Guyatt, Media Relations Manager, Future Publishing 01225 822517
About Future
Future plc is an international enthusiast media group with offices in the UK, US and France. Founded in 1985 with one UK magazine, today it creates over 180 special-interest publications, websites and events, with strong portfolios in the computing, games, music, automotive, sports, crafts and entertainment sectors. Over 130 international editions of Future's magazines are also published under licence in 30 countries across the world. Future employs around 1,450 people worldwide. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange (symbol FUTR).
Robert Price biography
Robert Price joined Future Publishing in 1998 from Pearson New Entertainment Video, first as Group Publisher of the games group before moving to head up the entertainment group in 2001 as Publishing Director. In 2003 Robert was appointed Publishing Director across the games and entertainment divisions. In 2004 Robert was appointed Managing Director of Future Publishing, with responsibility for the entire UK operation, over 70 monthly magazines and 65 websites, with 1150 staff across offices in London and Bath.