NEWS: Donovan to leave Guardian for PR

Patrick Donovan, City editor of the Guardian, has become the latest

senior journalist to join the PR fold.

Donovan is due to join Citigate Communications as a director in January,

although the details of his notice period with the Guardian have yet to

be worked out.

Reporting to Jonathan Clare, Citigate Communication’s deputy managing

director, Donovan will eventually manage a group of accounts and help to

bring in new business. Clare said that the accounts which Donovan would

handle had yet to be decided, although he would be given a substantial

hands on role.

‘He won’t just be a floating former journalist who can be wheeled out at

appropriate moments,’ said Clare. ‘We would expect him to build up his

own client base.’

Donovan explained that his move to PR was prompted as much by career

development opportunities as salary considerations. ‘I have worked in

City journalism for a long time and I have seen the role of PR expand.

PR offers more scope in a lot of ways,’ he said.

He added that he was unperturbed by cases of top journalists who had

returned to journalism after moves to PR. In October Mick Smith, former

business editor of the Observer, quit Ludgate after six months. In March

former Sunday Times City editor Jeff Randall resigned from Financial

Dynamics.