Indy raids the Standard for new director of commercial
Independent News & Media has appointed Evening Standard advertising director Simon Davies as commercial director for The Independent and Independent on Sunday.
Current commercial director Daryl Fielding is leaving the company and is not thought to have a job to go to.
The publisher recruited Fielding from Ogilvy & Mather 18 months ago in a bold recruitment move for the traditional newspaper world. Fielding is considered one of the architects of Unilever’s “Real Women” Dove advertising strategy.
Davies is a former advertising director of Associated Newspaper’s Mail on Sunday.
The Independent titles are struggling with falling circulations and revenue, and IN&M shareholder Denis O’Brien has angered the board by saying the newspapers will fold by Christmas (Marketingweek.co.uk, 21 September).
Simon Kelner, managing director of The Independent says: “We are very sorry to lose Daryl, who is one of the best strategic thinkers in the business, but in Simon Davies we are fortunate to have landed a man with wide experience and great energy who, I’m sure, will build on the foundations laid by Daryl.
“We have a young, committed advertising department who are passionate about our brands, and, even in a tough market, have punched above their weight. Under Simon’s leadership, I’m sure they’ll go on to achieve even greater things.”
