FHM’s new editor: Ross Brown
Britain’s biggest selling men’s monthly magazine, FHM, has named one of its former work experience boys, Ross Brown, as its new editor.
The surprise move will see Brown, currently FHM’s features editor, move up to replace David Davies – now acting managing director of Emap Elan.
Brown, 31, beat eight other shortlisted candidates to the job with his “grass roots understanding” of FHM readers and his grasp of marketing as well as editorial.
The promotion sees him move from making tea to being editor of Emap’s biggest selling title in just six years.
Brown joined FHM in 1998 on work experience before securing a job on the picture desk. He worked across several departments, writing reviews before moving up to become a staff writer, section editor and finally features editor in October 2001.
Despite a slight circulation drop of 4.5 per cent to 573,713 in the last ABCs, and the launch of the men’s weeklies to contend with, Brown said he had no plans to make any dramatic changes to FHM. He told Press Gazette: “I’m looking forward to it – it is a big challenge but something I have always wanted and been looking forward to do.”
David Pullan, worldwide managing director of FHM, said there was a very strong shortlist both internally and externally. “We did quite a stringent interview process and were delighted one of our internal candidates turned out to be the strongest. It is definitely a serious long-term appointment. We see him to be absolutely the right man for the job.”
By Ruth Addicott
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