Real and Smooth Radio Group Programme Director John Simons is leaving the group after 13 years in charge of programming.
He was one of the original few at the start of the company as GMG Radio in 2000, just days before winning the regional licence for South Wales – the group’s first.
GMG Radio then went on to launch Real Radio in Scotland and Yorkshire before buying what is now the Smooth Radio network and the Century Radio stations.
John will go back to consulting when he exits the company at the end of June and says he leaves on a high.
He told RadioToday: “It’s been a great ride for the past 13 years and I’m so pleased to be leaving the Group on a high with record reach and hours, but the time is right for me to focus on the next phase of my career and return to the role that I was doing prior to joining GMG as a Consultant.
“I’ve been privileged to lead one of the best Programming teams in UK radio and although I’ll miss them as friends and colleagues, I’m confident they will all prosper in the future because they are the best.”
The group is now owned by Global Radio, who will find out if their purchase of the company last June can go ahead without any competition issues on May 22nd this year.
See our interview with John Simons at a recent Radio Festival below.
Posted on Friday, May 3rd, 2013 at 11:53 am by RadioToday UK