The company that owns the Financial Timesnewpaper has appointed a new Chief Financial Officer to take over leadership of its newspaper arm.
Olivier Fleurot (54), who had been chief executive of the FT's publishing businesses, will move to the corporate parent to develop digital strategies for the group, which includes textbooks from Pearson Education and general-interest books from Penguin.
London-based Pearson, the world's biggest educational publisher, has long been under pressure from some investors to sell the pink-sheeted business newspaper, though Chief Executive Marjorie Scardino has promised not to do so.
"They're obviously tightening up the FTto get it to perform better, or there's a slim chance they're lining it up for a sale," said Johnathan Barrett, an analyst with Williams de Broe.
The FTwas outpacing rivals through the beginning of the year with 13 per cent advertising revenue growth and 4 per cent circulation gains, Pearson said in April. The newspaper last year returned to profitability for the first time since 2001.
The group said Rona Fairhead (44), is to run accounts for about 15 per cent of Pearson's annual sales and 20 per cent of adjusting operating profit.
Robin Freestone (47), the deputy CFO, was promoted to Ms Fairhead's role and will join Pearson's board.
The executive shuffle is the first major change for Pearson under new Chairman Glen Moreno, the former chief of investment giant Fidelity International, who joined Pearson last year.
Pearson also said John Ridding (40), the chairman of Pearson in Asia and editor of the Financial Timesin Asia, will become CEO of the Financial Timesand FT.com, reporting to Fairhead.
The management and board changes are effective from June 12th.