Marketing chief quits Clear Channel

Clear Channel UK director of marketing Yvonne O’Brien is to leave the company without a job to go to. She leaves the company in October after six years.

O’Brien, who reports to group managing director Julie France, is responsible for the marketing of Clear Channel billboards, Adshel and Taxi Media.

She is believed to have decided to leave the company to spend more time with her family and to travel. She is also said to be considering consultancy work.

In June, O’Brien headed the launch of a cross-format creativity arm – called Create – to run across the Adshel, billboards and Taxi Media businesses in an effort to engage creative agencies.

She has also acted as a consultant to Clear Channel’s Singapore business and is expected to return to the growing Asia base before leaving the company.

O’Brien joined More Group, the part of Clear Channel then responsible for Adshel, from GWR Group in 1999 as its head of marketing responsible for increasing awareness of the outdoor company’s six-sheet business.

Prior to GWR, she worked at rival outdoor company Mills & Allen. Clear Channel has yet to appoint a replacement for her.

O’Brien’s decision to leave follows a period of restructuring at the outdoor media owner, prompted by Clear Channel billboard managing director Jonathon Lewis’ decision to leave in November (MW May 5).

France, then the managing director of Adshel, was promoted to take on Lewis’s responsibilities.