More Group blow as development chief O’Donnell quits

Outdoor advertising company More Group has been hit by the resignation of one of it most senior directors.

Chris O’Donnell, Adshel’s development director, is leaving to take up a senior role at software specialist Cityspace.

Since his promotion to development director from sales director over three years ago, O’Donnell has been responsible for winning and maintaining contracts to supply bus-shelters for local authorities.

In the past two years, he has also been looking at developing new initiatives in outdoor advertising, such as bike-lending schemes. In association with Cityspace, Adshel has offered free outdoor e-mail kiosks called i-plus freemail.

Industry sources say O’Donnell is leaving because he is unsure about the prospect of promotion.

At the end of last year More Group, which is owned by Clear Channel, drafted in Stevie Spring from ad agency Young & Rubicam, as chief executive.

Commenting on O’Donnell’s departure, Spring says: “It is of course, a severe blow to the development team Chris has built over the past three years.

“It is also a loss to me personally, because he has been an outstanding colleague over our brief period working together.”

O’Donnell was unavailable for comment as Marketing Week went to press.