Emap's WGSN to cut 10% of global workforce

by John Reynolds, mediaweek.co.uk 26-Jan-09, 11:20

LONDON - WGSN, Emap's business-to-business fashion news and analysis service, is to axe 10% of its 300-strong global workforce, including about 10 positions in the UK, as the downturn in consumer spending bites.

UK staff were informed of the job cuts on Friday (23 January), which will affect the sales and marketing, administration and content divisions.

It is believed that the jobs cuts, which are not thought to affect senior management, are partly due to the company overstaffing towards the end of last year.

Staff are now understood to be entering a month-long consultation process.

WGSN is headed by global chief executive Neil Bradford, who took on the role following a restructure by Emap chief executive David Gilbertson last May.

WGSN, which Emap bought from the brand's founders Marc and Julian Worth in 2005, is a market-leading service for fashion business retailers, thanks to its exhaustive trend and forecast data.

Emap was acquired by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners in March 2007.