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Hoath: move to Newsquest unexpected

Newspaper Society marketing chief David Hoath has quit to become Newsquest's group advertising sales director.

The unexpected move announced last week comes just six weeks after he spearheaded a major campaign to improve the effectiveness of the regional press.

In this newly created role at Newsquest, Hoath will be at the sharp end of the NS's study - demonstrating to major clients that the regional press is worth focusing their spending budgets on.

Hoath has risen through the managerial advertising ranks of both print and broadcasting sectors, holding senior sales posts at business-to-business and consumer magazines in the UK and Australia, before heading the sales team at the GWR Group in 1992.

He said: "I am joining a really fine publisher that does its work extremely well, is ambitious and is committed to the medium."

Commenting on the work he carried out at the NS, he said: "I think that what we have tried to do is engage the membership to move towards transparency in local newspapers as far as perception is corned."

His role at the Newspaper Society was as national development manager and finally as head of various projects to raise the profile of the regional press.

Meanwhile, Kevin Beatty, managing director at Northcliffe Newspapers, will become chair of the NS's marketing committee in July, when Jim Brown, chairman of Newsquest Media Group, stands down from the role.

Additionally, Stephen Parker, managing director of regional newspapers at Trinity Mirror, has been confirmed as the NS's new president for 2004.