Former ITV daytime controller and BBC head of marketing, Maureen Duffy, has been appointed chief executive of the recently formed Newspaper Marketing Agency (see National Newspapers Unite To Promote Ad Space).
Duffy, who was blamed for the departure of Richard and Judy from ITV to Channel 4 (see ITV Names Hamilton New Daytime Controller), will head a board of eight members appointed by NMA chairman, Richard Webb, to lead the newspaper industry out of the current advertising downturn.
Reports suggest that more than 40 high-profile media figures were passed over in favour of Duffy, with former COI boss, Carol Fisher, and recently appointed ad director of the Evening Standard, Alan Brydon (see Evening Standard Loses Ad Sales Director), thought to have been in the running.
Duffy brings considerable marketing credentials to the role, including experience at ITV and the BBC, where she was controller of television marketing. During the late nineties Duffy was strategic communications partner at J. Walter Thompson and was also one of the company’s group media directors.
Commenting on her appointment, Duffy said: “This is a tremendously exciting opportunity and a challenge I relish. My first step now will be to put together appropriate resourcing – both permanent staff and the best of freelance talent.”
The NMA will commence operation on 1 January next year and will be funded by national newspapers through a Stakeholder’s Council, which has already committed a “substantial sum” for the ongoing activities.
