Neil Hodgkinson. Editorial director, Cumbrian Newspapers. Day to day he edits the daily News & Star in Carlisle with sales still above 20,000 and the weekly Cumberland News with sales still above 30,000. He also oversees CN’s various editorial interests across the region. A relatively quiet year for the group’s Cumbrian papers in awards terms as in recent years they’ve struck gold. Hodgkinson has been immersing the group in more regional initiatives, from agricultural shows to the launch of a new business awards initiative in May.
Shaun Fensom. Chairman, Manchester Digital. Quietly spoken Fensom is best known for his running of the Big Chip Awards but away from the hustle of that successful awards event, he is increasingly being drawn back into the world of business, these days as a consultant. Some of Manchester Digital’s more ambitious announcements have yet to come to fruition but the lobbying and industry group still probably commands more digital support in the region than any other similar body.
Dean O'Brien. Station director, Rock FM. Dean O'Brien. Programme director, Rock FM. New Zealander O’Brien took over at the Preston-based station following the departure of former SD Anthony Gay to become Bauer’s Yorkshire regional programme director. O’Brien was initially
acting programme director but had the post confirmed in the spring. Was asked to return to Rock having previously been with the station before his move to Key 103. It’s understood he effectively shares management of the station with the sales director Joanne Baldwin.
David Walter. Founder, Photolink. Walter has transformed his offer from his original photographic studio into an international operation employing over 100 staff spanning photography, creative and digital. He has opened an operation in India – a JV with client Argos- and is reportedly close to opening an operation in China. An early indicator of overseas success came in May when the agency won the rebrand for the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai. Meanwhile UK clients don’t look bad either including John Lewis, Littlewoods, Kangol and Chelsea FC.
Damian Walsh. Owner, Mondiale Publishing. Extremely successful but publicity-shy media entrepreneur based in Stockport. Has an enviable habit of building publications and events and then selling them for seven figure sums. He has done this twice in the past couple of years netting first £5m and then £3.5m from United Business Media. The 47 year old is the younger brother of his fellow publishing sister Jo Walsh at GovNet. A director of Galaxy Radio, in January he dipped his radio toes further with the purchase of Imagine Radio from UTV.
Matthew Johnson. Chief executive, Mando Group. Another sound year for Johnson and his merry crew – crowned no doubt by picking up the Digital Agency of the Year category at the How-Do Awards. Staff numbers up sharply and a London office has been opened. New clients joining the fold include Makro, North West Vision & Media, Manchester Business School and the three Northern RDA-backed England's North Country. Johnson, Ian Finch and serial entrepreneur John Moon keep a close rein on the ever expanding operation.
Tony Livesey. BBC. Livesey’s star continues to shine. A year of stunts, TV and sport, Radio Lancashire and 5 Live has been capped with the news that from January he will be taking over from Richard Bacon on the late night stint (Monday to Thursday 10.30 pm-1.00am) on 5 Live. Lancashire listeners – and indeed How-Do readers – have only a few weeks remaining to catch his breakfast show shifts on Radio Lancashire. The former Daily Sport has made a media transformation of Andrew Neil proportions…
Sean Marley. Managing director, Lime Pictures. Former radio boss Marley runs the commercial side of the UK's biggest regional indie. Life post Brookie and Grange Hill has been challenging but the business appears to be in rude health given the economic climate. Staff numbers are back to around 400, Hollyoaks is performing well and launching various new commercial spin-offs, new commissions are being won in the UK and overseas, a new factual department has been created and digital division Conker is thriving. As we go to press, the company is awaiting news on a handful of major new commissions.
Gregg Lynn. Gregg Lynn. Managing director & executive producer, Chapman Entertainment. Former record industry executive, Lynn was one of three co-founders of the company in 2001. The company has forged its reputation on Fifi and the Flowertots and Roary the Racing Car. Moved out of Cosgrove Hall’s earlier Chorlton base into a new base in Altrincham. In October, the company announced its first commission for the BBC with
Rah Rah The Noisy Lion, which will be co-produced by originators Mackinnon and Saunders, a major commission at 52 x 10 episodes.
Ranvir Singh. Co-anchorwoman, BBC North West Tonight. Singh was tasked with hosting the official handover ceremony of the BBC’s first building at MediaCity, a measure of how high her star shines days at the organisaiton. In addition to the daily show, she also presents late evening news reports and can often be heard on before 9am Saturday mornings on 5 Live. Shares the same agent as Gordon Burns and is increasingly being called upon as MC for events – including for How-Do.
Andy Spinoza. Managing director, SKV PR. A tough year for Spin as his property-based portfolio took a hammering. Staff numbers fell from over 20 to 15 but Spin and his team re-invented the agency as it belatedly embraced all things digital. The irony is that SKV is now one of the most highly regarded in matters digital, finishing 2009 with a clutch of awards for innovation in media. New clients have come on board while moth-balled property projects are starting to breathe life again and staff recruitment has recommenced.
Gordon Warrender. Managing director, PSCA. A surprisingly good year for Warrender and his team. The company says its sales have risen from £9m to over £12m since the MBO last year from the company's founder Darren Wilson. Warrender has been with PSCA since its creation in 1999. Staff numbers have risen to over 200 spread across the HQ in Newcastle under Lyme, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. Activities include publications, events, digital and data management. Expect Warrender to think up ways to not only maintain but increase sales in the face of expected public sector cuts.
Nigel Papworth. Chief executive, Refinery. The agency, with over 70 staff, is a contender for the title of the region’s biggest ‘least-known’ agency….Not dissimilar from Photolink in that it grew out of a photographic studio and still maintains a sizeable presence in this area. The agency counts a number of national clients on its books including the Co-op, ICI paints, Magnet and UNICEF. Papworth has been the company since the start.
Andrew Fickling. Chief executive, Sport Media Group. A tough year for SMG and its 36 year old publisher with heavy losses, declines in circulation, major cutbacks in editorial and other staff in Manchester and sales of earlier acquisitions. Staff numbers are down from over 100 to 70. To his credit, Fickling is still however there and recent news suggests there is some stabilisation in circulation and growth in ad sales. Together with renewed banking support, Fickling and the owners of AIM-listed SMG, have some time to reorganise identify new and enhanced revenue streams.
Nigel Dyson. Managing editor, BBC Radio Cumbria. Years doing the round of BBC stations saw him return to Cumbria as editor of the station in 1998. In addition to the station and website, he also looks after local TV news gathering for BBC North West and North East. BBC Cumbria’s audience has declined slightly over the year from 16.4% to 15.4% but the station still enjoys the region’s highest market share. A keen engager of the community, Dyson this year launched a series of three road shows offering listeners everything from advice on well-being to medical and financial support. Hundreds attended.
Rob Irvine. Editor, Daily Post Wales. Faces similar issues to his fellow regional editing peers but the DP Welsh edition does benefit from its perceived national standing and is not generally a secondary purchase as are the majority of other regional titles. And sales remain healthy at circa 34,000. Irvine is also publishing director of Trinity in North Wales and is known as a digital enthusiast who has overseen the launch of several niche websites including a Welsh language site. Is believed to have played a major role in TM’s root and branch review of the Merseyside operation.
