Absolute Radio chief Clive Dickens departs
Absolute Radio’s chief operating officer Clive Dickens is leaving the commercial radio broadcaster to pursue his career in Australia.
Dickens, who has been at the station for nearly five years, will leave this spring having accepted a position as director of digital and innovation at Southern Cross Austereo in Australia.
Absolute Radio will restructure its senior management team in the wake of his departure with his responsibilities split between CEO Donnach O’Driscoll and chief financial officer Adrian Robinson. Meanwhile content director Tony Morey will assume increased responsibilities for all programming and content output across the Absolute Radio Network.
All Dickens’ direct reports including Morey, along with marketing director Clare Baker, technology director Paul Brown and communications director Cat Macdonald will report to O’Driscoll or Robinson following his exit.
The news of his departure comes ahead of the radio network's owner decision over a potential sale, having reportedly been in talks with buyers including Bauer Media.
O’Driscoll said, Dickens’ contribution to the business over the last five years has been “nothing short of enormous”, adding, “he has, in that time, fostered and developed a great team of people and Adrian and I look forward to working even more closely with them”.
Dickens said, “I am really sad to leave but it has always been an ambition to live closer to my family in Australia and this opportunity to work within the wider Asia Pacific Digital economy is the chance of a lifetime. Absolute Radio is in great shape and I will be leaving it in great hands.”