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News International mobile leader Andrew Bagguley leaves

News International's head of mobile strategy, Andrew Bagguley, is to leave the publisher, as part of a reorganisation of its digital arm.

Following an analysis of News International's operations by Boston Consulting Group, Bagguley will leave his post in September and is seeking 'similar projects' before embarking on a new job.

Bagguley, who took up the role two years ago, has helped The Sun and News of the World launch mobile websites and implement QR codes for mobile advertising.

As a result of the review his position will be dissolved and the group's digital operations reorganised with a new digital development and business unit.

Responsibility for the group's mobile plans will be 'blended into the group's wider digital teams' for sales, production and editorial, Bagguley told Journalism.co.uk.

The changes are part of a 'maturing' of News International's mobile strategy with more focus on how to develop mobile content in line with the group's editorial operations, he added.

"The third element [to News International's mobile strategy] is the issue of editorial and what mobile means for editorial development," said Bagguley.

"Whilst it's not official that we've integrated mobile, arguably we have, because we've already integrated our digital operations. Editorial is the next step: they get hold of mobile and then it becomes part of the age-old newspaper battle of circulation versus commercial, which that department has a great understanding of."

According to Mike Anderson, managing director of the new digital and business development group, the audience of News International's mobile site has risen by 1000 per cent year-on-year.

"Andrew has successfully changed the way we engage with a mobile audience and operate our telephony businesses (...) we will continue to meet our consumers' demand for this platform," said Anderson.

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mobile | news of the world | news international | the sun | andrew bagguley |

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