Mark Sutton to depart CyclingIndustry.News, Jonathon Harker moves to Editor role
CyclingIndustry.News Founding Editor Mark Sutton is to depart in March after seven years, handing the reins to Stag Publications colleague and former BikeBiz Editor Jonathon Harker.
Mark leaves the role having established the brand in 2016 as a trade-focused website that has since drawn monthly audiences of up to 100,000 unique users through a combination of daily news, recruitment and podcasts with industry leaders. With the online presence established the title grew with the addition of a bi-monthly magazine (subscribe here) that has always stuck firm to a structure of education, best practice insight, market data and trade opinions.
Furthermore, for the past five years, CyclingIndustry.News has produced an annual UK bike retail market report that has become the cornerstone of the title’s work, bolstering the strength of the database, informing both editorial staff and industry partners, expanding the site’s traffic interest into the broader investment world, plus proving commercially successful.
Mark said of his time guiding the title: “It’s been amongst the hardest decisions I’ve faced to move on from the title that I nervously founded in 2016, unsure at the time if I had it in me to go out alone with the support of the team at Stag Publications. To depart at a time when I can look back on seven consecutive years of growth and a market leadership position fills me with pride.
“I would like to thank the publisher, my colleagues Simon (editorial) and Frazer (sales) who are the ultimate professionals and of course my long-term colleague Jonathon Harker who once more becomes the Editor of a cycle trade B2B. The title is in capable hands and while I’m stepping away, I will offer the team support as I move on, contributing occasionally from the sidelines as a freelance writer. Finally, and perhaps most important of all, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to everybody who has and continues to engage with CyclingIndustry.News over the years. The title is as strong as it is because of your partnership, be you a retail reader or commercial partner; CyclingIndustry.News is your trade magazine and so the cycling community’s collaboration is valued immensely.”
Jonathon Harker will assume day-to-day control of the title from March. He has previously guided CyclingIndustry.News for a spell in 2018/19 and so, combined with his many years as Editor at BikeBiz, he knows the bike industry and B2B publishing inside out.
On coming back into the bike market, Jon says: “We’re sorry to see Mark go, but we wish him the very best for his future endeavours and he remains a firm friend of CyclingIndustry.News.
“I’ve taken on the reins at CI.N a few times previously and it’s a privilege to be doing so again on a permanent basis. Mark and the team have poured a lot of hard work and love into CI.N since its launch back in 2016 and I look forward to following in those footsteps and helping build it for the future.”
Mark moves on to take up a new role as Editor of consumer-facing electric bike title CyclingElectric.
