� Rita Lewis, Mark Elliott and Andy Bridge, Publishing Directors
� Cath Ware, Group Advertisement Director
� Andy Bone, Circulation Director
� Nigel Lewis, Editor, Location Location Location magazine
Following an incredible three-year period of growth that has seen turnover climb from �3.3m to �20m � and a two-title publishing portfolio develop into no less than 10 consumer titles, two contract titles and an award-winning brace of live exhibitions � Brooklands Group is delighted to announce a high-level restructure to both consolidate that position and drive ongoing business.
Six key appointments will supplement a head count that now stands just short of 130 and bring considerable expertise and experience to bear on an entrepreneurial company that continues to make its mark on the UK publishing establishment.
Publishing Directors to oversee Brooklands Group consumer titles
The Brooklands Group portfolio of consumer (news-stand) titles is to be divided into three areas of activity, each headed by an incoming Publishing Director. These are: Rita Lewis, Publishing Director, Women�s Lifestyle Portfolio: Rita joins Brooklands Group from her current position as Managing Director of Natmag-Rodale (Men�s Health, Runner�s World) to oversee three titles: You Are What You Eat, the recently-announced Supernanny launching in March and a further project that debuts in September. She was previously Publishing Director at Hachette Filipacchi on Red and B having first held the same position at IPC Media on Marie Claire, Marie Claire Health and Beauty, Women�s Journal, Options, 19 and Mizz. Rita was PPA�s Publisher of the Year in 2000 (for Marie Claire).
Mark Elliott, Publishing Director, UK Homes and Property Portfolio: Mark arrives from emap Consumer Media where he was Publisher of Empire and Period Living & Traditional Homes to look after two UK homes and property titles initially: Location Location Location and Property Ladder, plus a third proposition in the early stages of development. He was previously Group Managing Editor and then Business Manager on Elle, Elle Girl, Red and The Fashion and prior to that held the position of Assistant Editor of Best at Gruner & Jahr. Mark was PPA�s Publisher of the Year in 2005 (for Empire).
Andy Bridge, Publishing Director, International Property Portfolio: Andy�s role at Brooklands Group will be the day-to-day management of the five-strong clutch of titles branded to Channel 4�s A Place in the Sun � including the multi-country A Place in the Sun magazine itself (PPA IPAC Magazine of the Year), plus A Place in the Sun�s everything America, A Place in the Sun�s everything France, A Place in the Sun�s everything Spain and the A Place in the Sun Property Price Guide. Andy�s previous lives include five years on a performing arts title, rising to Publishing Director, before six years at Haymarket Publishing that culminated in his establishing the company�s Asia Pacific operations based in Hong Kong.
Boost for advertisement sales team and trading position
Brooklands Group�s advertising sales team is also to be boosted � by the arrival of a new Group Advertising Director, Cath Ware, working alongside Deputy Sales Director Tina Hall (formerly Advertising Director on FHM). Cath recently departed Hachette Filipacchi after three years as Head of Central Sales managing the sales function across the company�s top ten clients and agencies. She was previously Agency Account Director at emap Advertising following spells as Corporate Business Director at emap Elan and Advertisement Director on New Woman. Cath will report to Group Sales Director Sarah Barnfield (ex-Commercial Director of emap Advertising on Q, Mojo, Arena, Empire, Car, Classic Car, Today�s Golfer and Golf World).
Renewed focus on circulation achievement
Brooklands Group titles (all ABC audited) have a strong record in news-stand sales: A Place in the Sun outsells its nearest rivals by a margin of between 2.5 and 5 to 1, the launch issue of You Are What You Eat sold more than 106,000 copies and Property Ladder � the most recent launch � enjoyed a debut sale in excess of 53,000. The arrival of Andy Bone (formerly of Highbury Leisure), in the role of Circulation Director, will cement and develop that impressive reputation. Andy spent 13 years in news-trade distribution at Comag Magazine Marketing, Seymour Press and then Marketforce before jumping the fence to land publisher-side and spend seven years at SPL (later acquired by Highbury Leisure).
New Editor for Location Location Location magazine
The official magazine of IWC�s hit Channel 4 TV series Location Location Location, presented by Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsop, has appointed a new Editor in Nigel Lewis, replacing Launch Editor Martyn Hocking who has moved on to pastures new. Nigel has, for nearly four years, been Property Editor on the Daily Mail and so brings to the UK�s number one homes and property title a wide range of experience in the housing market that will prove invaluable to readers of the magazine. Previous stints as Deputy Editor on the AA Magazine at Redwood Publishing and the same position on Financial World (the magazine of the Chartered Institute of Bankers) at Dennis & Beyond underlines a keen eye for fiscal matters. Home hunters have never had it so good�
�The end of the beginning��
Says Darren Styles, Chief Executive of Brooklands Group:
�We have had a incredible period of growth that we fully intend to continue, but there are stopping-off points in any company�s lifecycle where you need to check, consolidate and strengthen your structures and support network. In many ways the arrival of these six key personnel, to bolster an already strong, committed team of people, marks the end of the beginning for Brooklands Group. From here we move from a small to medium-sized enterprise and give ourselves the capacity to both develop and improve what already exists while continuing to build our portfolio. These are exciting times for us, and we fully intend to make the most of our momentum.�
Editor�s notes: Brooklands Group is a Channel 4 publishing partner, producing A Place in the Sun and its sister titles: A Place in the Sun�s everything France, A Place in the Sun�s everything Spain, A Place in the Sun�s everything America and the A Place in the Sun Property Price Guide. It further holds contracts for customer titles for Renault UK and Vauxhall Motors plus licences for official publications of the following Channel 4 TV shows: Location, Location, Location, Property Ladder, Supernanny and You Are What You Eat.
For more information contact:
Magellan PR on Tel: 020 8875 2850
Email: [email protected]