Genower Steps Down As Head Of Women’s Weeklies At IPC

Linda Genower, managing director of IPC’s women’s weeklies division is leaving the company less than a week after the appointment of Sylvia Auton as chief executive (see IPC Media Appoints Sylvia Auton As New Chief Executive).

Genower will officially retire from her role at IPC Connect at Easter after a career spanning 20 years with the magazine publisher. However, it is thought that she, along with Georgina Crace, managing director of IPC Advertising and Mike Soutar, editorial director, had been in the running to replace Sly Bailey as chief executive.

Auton’s appointment as chief executive came as a surprise to many in the industry, as her name had not previously been linked to the role, which became available last November when Bailey stepped down to replace Philip Graf at Trinity Mirror (see Bailey Leaves IPC To Replace Graf At Trinity Mirror).

Genower joined IPC in 1983 and has worked in virtually every part of the business, including launching What’s On TV and redeveloping TV Times. She has been an IPC Media board director since 1994 and was part of the team that undertook the management buy-out from Reed Elsevier in 1998 (see IPC Magazines Gains Independence). She also played a key role in the sale of IPC Media to AOL Time Warner in 2001 (see AOL Buys IPC Media For £1.15bn).

Since 1998 Genower has been managing director of IPC Connect, where she has worked to develop a portfolio which includes Chat, Now, Woman, Woman’s Own and Women’s Weekly.

Commenting on her decision to retire, Genower said: “After 20 years at IPC, I’ve decided it’s time for a life-change. I’ve had a wonderful career here which I will look back on with great affection and pleasure.”

Auton added: “It is with great regret that I announce that Linda Genower, managing director of IPC Connect, has decided to retire. Linda is a colossus in the industry – her track record has simply not been equalled.”

IPC recently announced plans to launch a cross-magazine ad campaign to promote McDonald’s New Tastes Menu across titles including Now, Essentials and Woman (see IPC Secures McDonald’s For Cross Title Ad Campaign).

IPC Media: 0870 4445000 www.ipc.co.uk

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