Rob Atkinson to lead Adshel in Australia and New Zealand

Following the departure of Adshel chief executive Steve McCarthy, Atkinson will join Adshel on secondment from 1 November until a permanent chief executive has been appointed.

In Atkinson’s absence, Clear Channel's development teams will report to finance director Justin Cochrane and the sales, marketing and operations divisions will report directly to UK chief executive Matthew Dearden.

Dearden has also been appointed regional president for the UK and Ireland, and Terry Buckley, general manger of Clear Channel Ireland, will now report to him.

Atkinson was promoted to the position of chief operating officer in June. He joined Clear Channel as sales director in April 2005, before becoming group sales director in May 2005, and then managing director in 2008.

The appointment takes effect on 1 November, with Atkinson expected to relocate from London to Sydney over the coming weeks.

Before joining Clear Channel, Atkinson held various senior roles at Associated Newspapers in the UK, including commercial director of the newspaper, Ireland on Sunday, and head of trading, newspapers, at The Mail on Sunday.

Matthew Dearden, chief executive of Clear Channel UK said: "Rob's leadership in the UK and within the Clear Channel International (CCI) group has been exemplary. This move is testament to the confidence CCI’s leadership team has in Rob to take the lead in one of our key markets.

"I wish Rob well in this new challenge and look forward to welcoming him back next year with fresh insights from our colleagues in Australia and New Zealand."

Adshel was formed in 1997 as a joint venture between APN News and Media and Clear Channel. It claims to have the largest street furniture coverage in Australia, with more than 14,700 illuminated ad panels.

Mark Thewlis, regional president Asia-Pacific for Clear Channel, said he was pleased that someone of Rob’s caliber and experience could support the Australia and New Zealand teams while they search for a new CEO.

Atkinson said: "This secondment is a fantastic opportunity to share my skills and knowledge, while getting to grips with different business challenges and a new culture."

McCarthy announced his resignation earlier this week, having spent 11 years at the helm of the Adshel joing venture.

This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk