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.
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