Chateau Wateau - arguably the most colourful character in the region’s magazine publishing industry for many a year.
Watson was, for over a decade from the mid eighties, Mr Investors Chronicle in the eyes of financiers, corporates, journos and PRs alike. The FT title was, in reality, a low circulation title in the North West but Watson managed to persuade the community that the publication conveyed extraordinary importance.
This extremely effective ad sales man, was born in the East Yorkshire town of Beverley, in an Edwardian villa which almost adjoined the town’s race course.
He started his career selling space on local papers and found his way to London and then Manchester where he joined The Guardian before he jumped ship to head up the Investors Chronicle as its head honcho in the UK regions. In this role, he oversaw the publication of countless surveys on Manchester and Liverpool and all the other leading regional centres, from Bristol to Glasgow.
Such was his success in the role, that his supplement surveys occasionally became so large, that they equalled the size (pagination) of the actual magazine itself.
His relationship with his bosses at FT magazines was always entertaining to hear.
His networking and drinking skills were unrivalled. As was his ability to remember every tiny detail as evidenced by his numerous memos confirming precise details of editorial and advertising commissions that usually followed his pre-publication lunches in Manchester and Liverpool.
At his leaving do, he was presented with a video starring various regional luminaries including the bizarre sight of one Paul lee, senior partner of leading law firm Addleshaws, dressed as a tramp.
Following his enforced retirement from FT magazines, he was never really able to settle down and he reputedly became a ‘shock jock’ at a late night Texan radio station. Further information is hard to come by but it is understood he died in New York.
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