Granada axes three top sales executives

Granada Enterprises has made three senior sales executives redundant,following the restructuring of its sales operation.

ITV sales director Andy Farwell, who was responsible for handling all trading negotiations with London agencies, has been made redundant.

Group account director Chris Nicholls and commercial ventures deputy executive director Tony Greenwood have also lost their jobs.

The move comes at the end of a six month review of Granada Enterprises’ core business, following the acquisition of United News & Media’s (UNM) TV assets by parent company Granada Media.

Farwell and Nicholls, both formerly with UNM’s sales house TSMS, were absorbed into Granada’s sales structure in October last year, as part of the merger.

Farwell’s responsibilities have been taken on by his immediate boss group sales director Simon Pardon, who will now have three external sales teams reporting to him instead of four.

A statement from the company says: “The move will deliver a leaner, more efficient operation to advertisers and shareholders and reflects the current economic climate.”

Industry experts are claiming ITV advertising revenues for the year could be down by between one and five per cent.