Burda hires group ad chief ahead of UK title launches

by John Reynolds, Media Week 29-Jul-08, 07:30

LONDON - Health & Fitness publisher Hubert Burda Media UK has poached H Bauer sales director Matt Hayes to head its ad sales unit, with a man- date to hire around 10 commercial staff. The German company is plotting several magazine launches in the UK next year.

Hayes will head Hubert Burda Media's newly-created London-based sales unit as group advertising director and will report to chief executive Luke Patten.

The UK subsidiary is recruiting for 10 ad sales staff, who will sell across four of its existing titles - Health & Fitness, Full House, Your Home and Period House - as well as overseeing ad sales on any future launches.

Sales for the magazines were previously handled by its Colchester office, which will continue to handle sales for its portfolio of kitchen titles. Patten said that the switch would not prompt any redundancies.

It is understood the company is considering launching titles across the women's weekly and monthly sectors in the UK.

Patten, however, said it was unlikely that Hubert Burda Media would look to acquire News Magazines' Love It! magazine, which News International is looking to offload.

Hayes joined The Publishing Consultancy, the H Bauer sales house, nearly seven years ago as sales director.

He previously worked in an advertising role at the National Magazine Company.

Simon Young, managing director of H Bauer Media Sales, said that the company would not replace Hayes and that his previous responsibilities would be split between Young himself and the company's ad managers.

Hubert Media UK acquired Essential Publishing two years ago as it looked to broaden its portfolio of titles. Essential Publishing, which publishes an array of consumer magazines, specialises in buying underperforming titles.