Jessica Burley steps down as MD of NatMag after 8 years

Burley is well regarded in the publishing industry but missed out on the chief executive’s roles, vacated by Duncan Edwards, at the start of the year.

Burley is leaving with no job to go to, according to The National Magazine Company (NatMag), which also publishes Esquire and She magazine.

NatMag said it is still deciding whether to recruitment a direct replacement for Burley, who has held a number of roles during her tenure, including group publishing director for its lifestyle titles and chief operating office for a number of its titles.

Burley missed out on the chief executive’s role to Arnaud de Puyfontaine, a fomer Emap executive and adviser to French president Nicholas Sarkozy, who was appointed in March.

De Puyfontaine replaced the high-profile Duncan Edwards who took on a wider role of president and chief executive of Hearst Magazines International, part of NatMag's parent company Hearst.

A NatMag spokesman said: "Jessica has decided that after many years with the company and at a time of significant opportunity in the wider industry, the timing is right for her to do something new."

This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk