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Real Media is losing another senior member of staff - its UK head

of sales Richard Smith, who has resigned to go travelling.

Smith will leave his sales team of nine on Friday and embark on a

three-month voyage around Europe.

The 28-year-old plans to be back in the UK "by quarter three", but is

undecided over whether he will return to the digital sales house.

It is understood UK managing director Tim Brown will assign someone -

either an internal or external candidate - to Smith's role.

"It's the right time for a break," explained Smith. "My girlfriend and I

were saving up for a mortgage but we decided to blow it on travelling.

I'm looking forward to sticking the backpack on and taking a decent

holiday."

Smith began his career in the ad department of local newspaper The Ham &

High. He joined Real Media in 1998 from Amra - where he sold space on

Trinity Mirror's north-west portfolio - to handle regional sites,

including those belonging to The Scotsman and The Belfast Telegraph. He

became head of sales after a management reshuffle in July last year.

Smith is the third senior member of staff to quit Real Media since the

start of the year. Commercial director Jonathan Bill left in January,

followed by managing director David McMurtrie and marketing boss Joanne

Cox.