Economist Restructures with Customer Focus

London-based publisher The Economist Group is combining its sales and circulation teams to form a new Publisher Team, led by Michael Brunt, and says the move will put 'strong customer data' at the heart of its strategy.

The Group, which celebrates its 175th anniversary this year, publishes The Economist newspaper and includes the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and Washington-based CQ Roll Call. In 2016/17 it posted an operating profit of £54m.

The flagship news publication has focused on profitably growing its Circulation business and while some rivals have cut back has invested in circulation marketing and editorial resources, espousing the ideal that 'readers are willing to pay for high-quality journalism'. Brunt (pictured), who now becomes COO as well as 'Publisher', began his career with the Group in 2006 as Marketing Services Director in London and subsequently worked in leadership positions across the Group in the UK, New York, CEMEA and Hong Kong. Most recently he has worked as MD and CMO for Circulation, leading the successful drive to make it the largest contributor of Group profits.

The new structure brings together Circulation, Sales, Marketing Solutions, Events and Analytics divisions into a single team, 'underpinned by key account management and strong customer data'. CEO Chris Stibbs comments: 'The Publisher Team combines the strongest parts of our business to ensure that we are creating the best products and services for our readers as well as our clients, and that The Economist will be here for the next 175 years. Michael's success in transforming The Economist's Circulation division makes him perfectly suited to lead the new Publisher Team'. Brunt himself says the new team 'gathers the best minds from inside our business to work together to create unique, truly global opportunities for our clients to reach our intelligent, curious and highly engaged audience in an environment based on trust, integrity and quality'.

Web site: www.economist.com .