An independent publisher’s chief executive and its finance director have decided to step down following the company’s sale to Newsquest.
Miller Hogg, left, is to leave the CN Group along with group finance director & operations director Tony Fox, Newsquest has confirmed.
David Coates, Newsquest North’s managing director, will take over the reins from Miller, while Andrea Mills, Newsquest North’s regional finance director will be taking over responsibility for finance.
The Newsquest North division, which includes the Northern Echo, the Bradford Telegraph & Argus and York daily The Press, will now additionally include the CN titles including Carlisle’s News & Star and Barrow daily The Mail.
Newsquest completed the purchase of the Carlisle-based group – which publishes two dailies and a number of weeklies – earlier this month.
A Newsquest spokesman said: “Miller and Tony made it clear from the outset that they wanted to use the sale as an opportunity to move on to pastures new. They have made a great contribution to CN Group and we wish them all the best in their future endeavours.”
Prior to joining CN in 2015, Miller spent seven years as managing director of Archant’s East division, and also previously served as MD of Newsquest’s York operation.
His and Tony’s departures were mentioned in an email to CN staff from Newsquest chief executive Henry Faure Walker earlier this month.
Henry wrote: “I appreciate changes as a result of new ownership can be unsettling. I can’t promise you that we won’t make changes; but I can say that any changes we do make will be driven by our goal to help you make the CN business as sustainable and as successful as possible, and well equipped to navigate and take advantage of the opportunities from the fast changing media landscape.
“As you know Miller Hogg and Tony Fox have decided to step down from the business. I’d like to thank Miller and Tony for the sterling contribution they have made to CN Group, and I am sure you will join me in wishing them all the best for the future.”
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Both have a lot to answer for in allowing the staff,papers and communities CN served so well for many years to be sold down the river to NQ resulting in the first round of redundancies announced within days of the take over.
They’ll happily take their money and go off to pastures new while those loyal staff who really were the ones who made a “sterling contribution to the group” are left behind to pick up the pieces, shameful.
It’s the staff facing an uncertain future we should wish well, not these two
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No surprise Hogg and Fox had their own exit plans in place before sanctioning the takeover, they knew what it would mean for the staff, could see what had gone before, knew very well what was coming and didn’t want to hang around once the results of their actions became clear for all to see.
I doubt they’ll be missed, certainly not by the first 34 staff to be unceremoniously dumped just days after the takeover.
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The regional press is now full of here today, gone tomorrow chiefs with little loyalty and even less understanding of the heritage of some of the grand old titles they are running. In this case two to three years max was always going to be the scenario while the CEO prepared the ground for a sale and let some fine talent and vast local experience go in a short term bid to cut costs.
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