Radio Forth appoints Matt Allitt to lead commercial team

Mr Allitt has a rich radio heritage, starting out at Lancaster-based radio station The Bay, where he achieved record revenues and was instrumental in the station gaining Investors in People recognition.

He has a long history of managing radio station sales teams, having spent 11 years at UTV Radio, followed by six-and-a-half years at GMG Radio, which is now known as Global Radio).

He led the team through the transition to Global, where he became commercial director in 2014.

Mr Allitt will be responsible for retaining and developing a team of people to ensure sales targets are hit and revenue is generated.

He will work closely with the whole commercial team at Forth to provide the best possible service and results for clients.

He said: “I’m really pleased to be offered this position at Edinburgh’s best-loved radio station.

“It’s the perfect role considering my track record so far.

“I’ve worked in a sales role at radio stations for almost all of my professional life.

“I have been successful at every station I have worked at – hitting targets, generating revenue and building strong teams.

“I want to repeat the success and keep the momentum going to continue the station’s success. Radio Forth has had a brilliant past and it’s in a very strong position.

“I want to do my part to ensure it has a fantastic future.”

A business studies graduate from the University of Salford, radio sales and advertising was not originally part of Mr Allitt’s plan.

He was writing scripts and working in production for The Bay in a temporary cover position when he was offered a permanent role in the sales team.

More than 20 years since making the decision to move away from the production side, Mr Allitt believes he made the right call.

He said: “I’m passionate about radio and the many advantages it offers to our commercial partners.

“I can’t wait to hit the ground running and work with both the team at Forth and the clients.”

Cathy Kirk, station director at Radio Forth, which is owned by Bauer Media Group, welcomed the appointment.

She said: “We would like to offer a warm welcome to Matt, the ideal candidate to take up the sales director position.

“Matt’s past experience will stand him in excellent stead. I know he will make a swift and positive contribution to the team here at Radio Forth.

“This latest addition to the commercial team reinforces the fact that Bauer Media Group is investing strongly in its creative and commercial offerings, ensuring we can deliver the best possible campaigns for our clients.”