BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Julie Harris, Group Managing Director of Immediate Media, has announced exclusively to BikeBiz the new structure for Immediate’s Sports Division to drive forward an ambitious growth strategy with a series of key appointments in publishing, editorial and commercial to strengthen its Sports Division.
Firstly Immediate is recruiting for a new MD in Sport after Steven Seaton announced he was stepping down from the post at the end of August. Alison Worthington joins as Publisher of Immediate’s Sport print titles, including Cycling Plus, Mountain Bike UK and Procycling. Worthington, with 14 years of experience at Immediate in editorial and publishing roles, will also drive Immediate’s Sport events strategy including the National Triathlon Show taking place at the Olympic Velodrome in April 2016.
Stuart Forrest, Digital Publisher of RadioTimes.com is interim Digital Publisher of CyclingNews.co.uk while Publishing Director Dave Clutterbuck focuses on BikeRadar. Will Findlater, is joining in September as Global Editor-in-Chief of BikeRadar. Findlater joins from Haymarket where he is Editor-in-Chief of market leading, multi-platform technology brand Stuff.
Sean Woods has joined the company as Advertising Director for Sport. Woods will be responsible for devising and implementing the digital ad sales strategy across Immediate’s Sport portfolio, maximising revenues and growth opportunities.
According to Julie Harris, Group MD at Immediate Media Co, said: “A year on from our acquisition of the world’s largest cycling portfolio, we are now in the next, very exciting, phase of development. With ambitious plans across all platforms, we are accelerating growth with our enhanced leadership team in place, giving us the right mix of experience, and particularly, digital capability.”
Since the acquisition of the cycling business from Future in May 2014, Immediate has created a new Sports Division in Bristol, merging the cycling brands with its existing 220 Triathlon brand. A new world-class bike testing facilities and bespoke photo and video studios have been set up as well as fully responsive redesigns for its digital properties and redesigns of several print titles including Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike.
