Comments New Media content director Clare O'Donoghue, "Early editions of i magazine have received rave reviews from readers, industry pundits and advertisers, and the appointment of the senior editorial staff will only help to further elevate the great quality which it is becoming known for. Readers can expect even better issues in the coming weeks!"
Apart from 10 years of newspaper experience, Farrell was also features editor for Femina for five years. She has been a freelance editor and writer for the past two years, working on titles such as Good Housekeeping, House and Leisure and O magazine.
Kumalo-Valentine, one of the 2009 Mail & Guardian's 300 Young South Africans You Must Take to Lunch, has been in the media and publishing industry for eight years. Having started out online, she moved to newspapers as a sub-editor and reporter, and then the weekly Drum as a news reporter, before working on international fashion glossies such as Elle and Marie Claire as assistant editor.
i magazine is available every Sunday with City Press in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal only.
Majority control in Cars in Action equity
Cars in Action was established by Lupini in 1997 and has been repositioned over the past couple of months. Following this, Sippel and Bentley led a management buyout of the magazine and website, which has given them and other staff members a majority control in the equity.
Going forward, their new company AbsolutAction Media will publish the title. Bentley and Sippel will share management control between them, the former continuing as editor and Sippel remaining as editor-at-large. Richard Macaskill will continue as magazine deputy editor and website editor. Wendy Robinson, who is part of the buyout team, will continue in the role of publisher and will be assisted on the business side by another stakeholder, Sharon Richards, who continues as national business manager.
Jake Venter, a qualified engineer, motor industry test technician and teacher, joins the team after a long career as technical editor of Car magazine. Leonardo Lupini will continue as layout artist, assisted by Rigel Andreoli. Oliver Hirtenfelder will likewise continue as photojournalist.
Michele Lupini, who retains a minority equity interest, has decided to take a step back from active executive, management and marketing responsibility. He will focus on a new initiative that he will run from Franschhoek while continuing to write for the magazine as a contributor. Magazine cofounder Mario Lupini will continue to contribute on technical matters and vehicle testing until he is able to join the new initiative early in the New Year.
Bentley is a former editor of Car magazine and Sippel, who also edits the motoring pages of the Afrikaans Sunday newspaper Rapport, is a five-times winner of the South African Motoring Journalist of the Year award. Robinson has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry.
For more, go to www.carsinaction.net.
