Managing Director Ceri Hurford-Jones to leave Spire FM

Spire FM’s Managing Director Ceri Hurford-Jones is leaving the business this Christmas after 23 years in charge of the UKRD station.

Ceri has told RadioToday he is set to take a break from the local radio sector after a career that saw him oversee the growth in the station for audience and revenue.

Karen Bosley, long-standing Sales & Marketing Manager at Spire FM will be taking over the role of Managing Director.

In addition to his role as Managing Director at Spire FM, Ceri also held a number of positions with local charities and business support groups. These included Salisbury BID, Chamber of Commerce, Salisbury Hospice, The Trafalgar School and Salisbury Cathedral. Ceri is also the founder and Chair or the annual South Wilts Business Of The Year Awards which is now in its 21 st year.

Andy Preece from UKRD, said: “I’m very grateful to Ceri for his long-standing loyalty and commitment to Spire FM, its team and the whole Salisbury community as well as UKRD.

“He’s done a great job of leading the team at Spire FM, has been a valued member of the UKRD team and will be greatly missed.”

Ceri said that he was sad to leave so many work colleagues but had enjoyed his time at Spire FM enormously. “I have been really lucky to work with a great bunch of people and my years with UKRD have been an absolute pleasure. It’s an amazing place to work and I have been privileged to work with so many fantastic people.

“I am stepping down now in order to take up some non-exec roles in order to further help develop and support some of our brilliant Salisbury business as well as teaching sailing and recording some specialist podcasts (but not all at the same time!).

“I will continue to take a keen interest in the progress of the station and can honestly say that I am incredibly proud of everything the station and its amazing team has achieved. I’m sure that it will continue to deliver exactly what South Wiltshire and West Hampshire audiences want and need as Spire FM really is the spirit of Salisbury”

Spire FM was bought along with the rest of UKRD by Bauer Media earlier this year, and more details of the CMA investigation into the takeover are expected next week.