Metro veteran Karen Wall returns to lead marketing
Metro Newspaper’s recently re-appointed managing director Steve Auckland is reassembling his old commercial team at the newspaper, which includes the return of its former top marketer Karen Wall.
Wall will return to the DMG Media-owned title as executive director, responsible for marketing, research, communication and talent.
She first joined Metro in 1999 and served in various roles including marketing director and then assistant managing director from 2007 until her departure in 2011. She then spent 18 months working with Auckland at Northcliffe Media and then Local World, where she held a similar role.
In taking on marketing leadership for the title, her role partly replaces that of former marketing director Bryan Scott, who left the daily free sheet alongside managing director Linda Grant last month.
Also returning to the title is Grant Woodthorpe, who rejoins as trading director. He joined Metro in 2000 and held several roles including trading director and executive director of sales.
As part of the changes to the senior management team, commercial director Matt Teeman is moving to DMG Media’s client sales team in another commercial director role. He will work on projects across the group’s titles – which also include The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday – improving the marketing solutions it offers advertisers.
Auckland says: “I’m thrilled to have both Grant and Karen on board. They are experienced operators who really understand the business, possess excellent people skills and are passionate champions of the brand. I’m really pleased that Matt has a critical role in helping to shape DMG Media’s commercial future.”
Revenue at Metro declined 10 per cent to £80m in the year to 30 September, suffering from tough comparatives with the previous financial year when the paper benefited from increased ad spend and commercial tie-ups during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
