September 2, 2008

Four redundancies and major restructuring at PPA

The Periodical Publishers’ Association has made four posts redundant following a review by the incoming chief executive, Jonathan Shephard.

Shephard, a barrister who was formerly chief executive of the Independent Schools Council, joined the PPA on 1 April, and has announced ‘substantial restructuring’of the magazine industry’s trade association.

The roles being made redundant are director of marketing, commercial director, communications and marketing director and marketing communications manager. Four staff are leaving, but there will be an increase of two in the overall headcount as new positions are being created.

The research and events departments have been consolidated into two new departments, with new jobs being created including a head of research.

A new post of sales manager is being created, who will report to chief operating officer, Sarah Tunstall. Tunstall will take over PPA’s commercial, financial and events operations, and the relaunch of PPA’s website, set for January 2009.

A new role of head of press is being created, and the currently vacant post of director of legal public affairs has been split into two, creating the new post of general counsel, who will be in charge of legal issues, and a head of public affairs, which will be in charge of representation.

Shephard, who has previously worked in the magazines sector managing financial research at Which?, takes overall responsibility for press and PR activities, legal, research, circulation, and for the key relationships with advertising agencies.

PPA chairman and managing director of BBC Magazines, Peter Phippen, said: ‘These changes will consolidate PPA’s position as a leading media trade body and improve our intellectual capital, commercial performance and our influence in Westminster and Brussels on behalf of our members”.