AOL promotes Jonesco to run ad and content team

AOL has promoted former Express Newspapers managing director Andy Jonesco to the new role of senior vice-president for audience.

The role was created following the company’s decision to bring the advertising and content divisions (called the online customer experience team) closer together. Jonesco will have overall responsibility for both.

Jonesco surprised the UK media world by joining the internet services provider in May 2002 as its vice-president of interactive marketing.

It is understood that Giles Ivey, currently sales director at AOL UK, will take over much of Jonesco’s role.

AOL says that the two teams are being brought together so that major clients can be offered advertising and exclusive content packages through a single point of contact.

AOL UK says there is massive demand for integrated advertising, sponsorship and content packages from advertisers and agencies alike, including microsites and bespoke material.

⢠In the US, the arguments over the future of AOL/Time Warner seem to be intensifying. Steve Case – one of AOL’s founders and an architect of the merger with Time Warner six years ago – has said he supports calls for the group to be broken up into separate units.

US investor Carl Icahn, who holds about three per cent of AOL/Time Warner’s stock, is calling for shareholders to unseat current AOL/Time Warner chairman and chief executive Dick Parsons and split the group up.

AOL/Time Warner is understood to have been in talks with Google and MSN about either an investment in AOL or some kind of partnership.