CORRECT: Second Fairfax NZ senior manager jumps ship

Tuesday 21st March 2017

(corrects order of departure of Campbell Mitchell and Simon Tong)

Fairfax Media New Zealand has lost a second senior manager, with the company's chief marketing officer leaving the company for a job with insurer Suncorp shortly before chief executive Simon Tong announced his resignation on March 9.

The pair have left as Fairfax awaits the Commerce Commission's decision on whether the news publisher and events company can merge with its chief newspaper publishing rival, NZME.

Campbell Mitchell, who joined Fairfax NZ in November 2013, will become insurer Suncorp New Zealand's general manager of customer experience, with responsibility for customer strategy for the Vero and Asteron Life brands, Suncorp announced today. Mitchell left Fairfax in mid-February.

A New Zealander, Mitchell was lured back to Fairfax NZ after working as general manager for digital, marketing and retail sales at The Australian, a News Corp asset.

Tong, who also joined Fairfax NZ in 2013 and was widely tipped to lead the merged group, announced his resignation as CEO on March 9 to take a senior role at ASB Bank, days ahead of the March 15 deadline for a final decision on the proposed merger, which it has initially declined. Tong left the company on March 17

The commission subsequently added a month to its deliberations, with a final decision due now on April 11.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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