Insider Media managing director Andy Slim has announced that he is stepping down from his role at the North West business publisher after 28 years with the company.
Slim’s future was first cast into doubt in January 2023, when executive recruiter Daniels Smalley Partnership posted an ad on specialist executive recruitment site executivesontheweb.com stating that “the current MD is now planning retirement and is seeking a new Managing Director to take over the day to day running of the business and to continue its expansion and growth.”
At the time, Insider told Prolific North that Slim was not planning retirement, and the MD has indeed remained in post through last year’s takeover by National World and the move to a new shared office with National World in Manchester City Centre.
Ultimately, however, as Slim noted making the announcement of his departure in a lengthy LinkedIn post, “all good things come to an end.”
Slim went on: “After 28 years at Insider Media it is with mixed emotions that I announce this will be my last day with the company. It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride but I have relished the opportunities I have been given along the way and been so proud of my colleagues who have also risen to the challenges and helped Insider become the market leading regional business media company that it is today.
“Thank you to Nick Jaspan and Jill Taylor for taking a chance on me back in the early days of Insider. To Andrew H who supported me into my first sales management position as we rolled out the Insider brand into Yorkshire and Midlands. And to Marlen Roberts who has been a huge part of my personal growth and journey over the last 20 years. While expanding our offering across the UK including Wales, Ireland, and now Scotland, with Marlen’s direction we also helped steer the ship through the financial crash, Brexit and more recently covid, three “once in a lifetime” events.
“Outside of work the last 28 years have coincided with major milestones in my personal life including meeting some of my best friends including my wife who has supported me through the highs and lows.
“In terms of the people I have worked with I cannot say enough about how my colleagues in sales, editorial, production etc have all shown an immense amount of creativity and innovation, constantly finding ways to improve our products and services, never happy with the status quo which is why Insider has been so successful over the years. You have all been amazing.
“In a world where loyalty to one company appears now to be less of a consideration many of my colleagues have been with me for over 10, 15, and 20 years respectively which says a huge amount for the culture of the business. I am so proud to have been involved in the development and growth of so many, some who continue with Insider but others who are progressing successfully in roles outside the business. Too many to mention individually but you know who you are. I wish you all the best in the future and continue to smash it.
“Finally a thankyou to the numerous clients and partners I have worked with over the years (many of whom have become good friends over the time). As we rolled out the Insider brand I have taken great pleasure in meeting and working with “partners” in Cardiff, Bristol, Crawley, Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Nottingham, and more recently back in Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle.
“I will be taking some time off to recharge and refresh having worked solidly over the last almost 3 decades. So plenty of time to tidy up my garden, improve my golf swing and spend more time with my teenage sons after their exams are finished and before they head off to higher education and make their own way in life.
“So a final big thankyou and just to say I look forward to catching up with colleagues and friends again in due course.
“To quote one of my favourite films ‘its been emotional.’”
Slim began life at Insider as a sales exec in 1995, and became a shareholder in the company following a 2005 management buyout which saw Slim and other employees buy the company from then-Yorkshire Post owner Regional Independent Media.
It’s perhaps fitting, then, that Slim’s tenure landed just long enough to see the publisher return to the ownership of a different Yorkshire Post publisher some 28 years later.
