GB News has appointed Nicole O’Shea as Commercial Director responsible for advertising sales and sponsorship across all its, radio, television, social, podcast, and digital platforms nationally.
Nicole joins from News UK, where she has worked for 16 years, most recently as the Manchester-based Director of Sales for all United Kingdom regions beyond London.
In her new role, Nicole will remain in Manchester where GB News has its biggest audience reach and will work closely with the company’s other sales partners including Sky Media, Bauer and Mail Metro Media.
She said Manchester was the ideal place for GB News to focus its commercial operation. Earlier this year Breakfast with Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster broadcast a week-long series of programmes from the region.
“There’s a tangible industry shift towards Manchester,” she said. “Several other media challenger brands have launched or moved here recently, and clients are increasingly shifting to the north west to take advantage of the huge digital innovation in the region.”
She added: “Manchester rivals London now as an advertising powerhouse and a magnet for talent, but it’s still smaller so it’s nimble and there’s more of a personal touch in client relationships.”
Nicole has more than 20 years’ experience in commercial sales for media. She started her career in outdoor sales before joining the Irish Mirror as an advertising sales manager. She is also the co-founder of Bloom North, the first support network outside London for women in communications.
She said GB News represented the most exciting leap in her career. “I love the GB News story, its ethos of including all voices and views around the country, and the fact that it’s breaking the mould to do things very differently,” she said.
“Above all I love the fact that GB News is a disruptor and even an underdog – it’s a hugely exciting brand proposition.”
GB News confirmed today that its first Commercial Director David Weeks will leave the company when Nicole begins her role at the beginning of December.
Chief Executive Officer Angelos Frangopoulos said: “David has been a passionate advocate for GB News, joining us at an early stage of our journey as the first new British news channel for 34 years. We will miss his irrepressible energy and positivity greatly and wish him the best for the future.”
This story first appeared on radiotoday.co.uk