Trinity Mirror has announced the appointment of Sue Douglas as Publishing Director and Rupert Howell as Chairman of Sunday Brands Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Trinity Mirror plc, with responsibility for The Sunday People, The Sunday Mail (Scotland), Wales on Sunday, The Sunday Sun (Newcastle) and The Sunday Mercury (Birmingham).
In addition, Rupert Howell is appointed Group Transformation Director reporting to the Chief Executive. In this role Rupert will work with the team on implementing and accelerating the Company’s strategic transformation plan.
Simon Fox, CEO of Trinity Mirror, said: "We have got to know Sue and Rupert well over the last few months and are really delighted that they have agreed to join us. Ours is a talent and content business, so to attract talent of this calibre is a real coup."
Sue Douglas said: "I've spent the last two years pursuing a dream to revitalise this part of the media market, so I'm thrilled to get the opportunity to lead the re-vamp of the Sunday People under James Scott’s editorship, as well as develop the other Sunday titles. This is a chance to put energy, fun and great journalism into what will become a seven-day digital, one-day print operation."
Rupert Howell said: “I'm delighted to have this opportunity to continue working with Sue, and to work with Simon and Mark Hollinshead (COO) to drive Trinity Mirror forward. The Group faces a number of challenges in common with the rest of the sector, but is blessed with a fantastic stable of titles across the UK and the determination to pursue its clear strategy to transform its fortunes and build a dynamic and growing media business."
Sue started as a reporter at the anti-apartheid Rand Daily Mail in South Africa. Later she returned to Fleet Street and rose through various executive roles at Associated Newspapers to become Assistant Editor of the Daily Mail. In 1991 she became Deputy Editor of the Sunday Times and then editor of the Sunday Express. Later she moved into regional press as Executive Editor of Scotsman Publications and then into magazines and on-line as President of New Business at Conde Nast, launching Glamour and Vogue.com as well as the company's contract publishing business.
Rupert started in advertising at the Ogilvy Group in 1979 and after spells at Grey and Young & Rubicam, founded his own agency Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury in 1987. It was sold 10 years later to Chime Communications plc and was voted Agency of the Decade in 2000. Rupert became CEO of Chime and helped build it into the UK's largest independent communications group. In 2003 he left to join the world's largest advertising agency McCann Erickson as President EMEA and Chairman UK & Ireland Group. In 2007 he moved to ITV as Managing Director Brand and Commercial, with a seat on the plc Board.
Rupert is a former President of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, a Trustee of The Media Trust and non-executive Chairman of the Billington Cartmell Group.
