London Live and Independent boss to join Informa group
Chief of The Independent and London Evening Standard newspapers and local TV station London Live Andrew Mullins is leaving to join business information group Informa.
Mullins, a former Unilever and Diageo marketer, has had a key role in changing the business models of both The Independent and The Evening Standard. Mullins, who holds the title group managing director at the media company ESI Media, will join Informa as CEO of the Knowledge and Networking division. Informa has revealed a restructuring of its operations today into five divisions.
The Independent’s print circulation was flagging badly under Independent News & Media and it was bought by Alexander Lebedev in 2010. Mullins worked on the launch of the digest version called the i, then priced at 20 pence. The combined circulations of the two papers made the brand viable for advertisers once more.
Already managing director of the Evening Standard, Mullins also worked on the retooling of the publication as a free evening newspaper after it was bought by Lebedev in 2009 from Associated Newspapers.
Read an interview with Andrew Mullins on the i launch here.
Recently he launched the London based television station London Live. The TV station has found building a loyal audience a challenge. Its editorial director Stefano Hatfield also left in May six weeks after its debut to launch online community High50.
ESI Media says that Mullins will be replaced and there will be an announcement about his successor shortly. He will remain as a non-executive director on the boards of Evening Standard Limited, Independent Print Limited and Evening Standard Television Limited.
Informa’s overhaul sees the newly created Knowledge & Networking Division embrace all the company’s training, learning, conference, advisory and congress businesses.
Group chief executive Stephen Carter says: “It will create focus and alignment, and a more efficient structure for content development, product innovation and new launches.”
He adds: “Today’s changes seek to increase operational, customer and market focus at Informa. We are repositioning the Group to deliver growth and scale in each of our markets.”
