Bauer Media Group has announced that Dee Ford, the company’s group managing director for the UK, will be stepping down from her current role later this year.
The organisation will now start the recruitment process for Ford’s replacement, with Ford remaining in place to oversee the handover to her successor.
“The UK business is in great shape, with a healthy and growing radio portfolio, and solid digital foundations in place to enable us to deliver on the exciting opportunities ahead in digital audio over the coming years,” said Richard Dawkins, president of audio for Bauer Media Group.
“I will miss Dee’s wise counsel, optimism and entrepreneurship, but am pleased to confirm that Dee will stay with us to ensure a smooth and extensive handover to her successor once they are appointed. And there will be plenty of opportunity to wish Dee well for the future later in the year.”
Ford has been with the company for more than 35 years, working predominantly in the organisation’s radio business, which includes stations such as Magic Radio, Absolute Radio and Kiss. Bauer has also been investing in podcasting in recent years, with a portfolio including The Empire Film Podcast and The Heat 7 celebrity news and gossip podcast.
Bauer has also recently appointed Lucie Cave, editor-in-chief of Heat magazine and host of The Heat 7 podcast, as its chief creative officer of podcasts and commercial content, with a remit to build audiences across podcasting and other media formats, as well as appointing podcast editor and award-winning executive radio producer Maria Williams to head of production for podcasts.
