Striking a blow for classified sales executives, Sly Bailey was
this week named at IPC’s new chief executive.
Bailey, who started out in 1984 on classified at The Guardian, takes
over in December, replacing Mike Matthew who is to retire and take up a
non-executive position as deputy chairman.
Bailey’s remit is to prepare IPC for a pounds 1 billion stock market
flotation within two years. She is expected to focus on developing an
online strategy, building on the recent launch of IPC Electric. With her
background in television listings, it is likely that electronic
programme guides will feature in this strategy. IPC’s chairman David
Arculus has also promised to pursue acquisitions.
After The Guardian, Bailey moved to The Independent in 1987, before
arriving at IPC in 1989. She joined as classified sales controller and
in 1994 moved up to group ad sales director of the TV listings and
women’s weeklies divisions, recently revamped as IPC tx and IPC
Connect.
In 1997, she became managing director of IPC tx and is credited with
arresting the decline of TV Times’ circulation from 10 per cent, when
she took over, to 1 per cent in the latest ABCs.
