Publishing chief steps down from SMG board

Media conglomerate Scottish Media Group have announced that, following receipt of shareholder approval for the proposed sale of SMG Publishing, Des Hudson has decided to tender his resignation as a main board director of SMG.
His resignation from the board, effective as of February 10 2003, however has no bearing on his operational role as Chief Executive Publishing.
Des joined SMG in 1998 as head of the Group’s publishing division and was appointed to the board in 1999.
The sale of SMG Publishing to Gannett (UK) Limited is currently awaiting clearance by the Department of Trade and Industry under the newspaper provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973.
Commenting on his resignation, Don Cruickshank, Chairman of SMG, said: “Des’s contribution to SMG, both through his participation at a board level and in running our publishing division, has been very significant indeed. He has presided over a period of structured investment and product improvement in the publishing business and I speak for the whole board in acknowledging the great value of his time on the board.”
(AMcE)