Audit Bureau of Circulations plans review of ‘efficiency’

The Audit Bureau of Circulations is planning a major restructure, following the departure of chief executive Richard Beadell.

Beadell will not be replaced immediately. Instead, deputy chief executive Richard Foan and management consultant Richard Hooper will take control of what is termed an “interregnum management”.

The two are understood to be conducting a complete review of all ABC operations to look for efficiencies. It is believed the ABC’s members – the agencies and publishers who fund it – have asked the new chairman Geoffrey Copeman to institute the review. Beadell was unwilling to conduct the review after five “tireless” years at the ABC.

Copeman, non-executive vice-chairman of Eastern Counties Newspapers, replaced Graeme Hutton, European media director of Ammirati Puris Lintas, as chairman in July.

The ABC has had to adjust to producing all of its consumer title audits on one day, after receiving complaints from the publishing industry about possible abuses. It has also had to adjust to producing bulk sales figures for national newspapers.

The efficiency review is designed to leave the ABC better placed as the industry auditor of record for Internet audiences.