Former Reach boss Simon Fox in the frame to lead Frieze art fairs
The former chief executive of Daily Mirror publisher Reach has secured a new role as head of the company behind iconic arts fair operator Frieze.
Simon Fox, who left Reach in July after seven years at the helm, is set to be announced as the new head of Frieze tomorrow.
The appointment is said to form part of a growth strategy drawn up by US media giant Endeavor, Sky News first reported, which holds a 70 per cent stake in Frieze’s parent company.
Endeavor, which owns the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Miss Universe, was planning to go public in New York last year but was forced to abandon the float due to weak investor demand.
The media giant, which also represents some of the world’s biggest stars through its collection of talent agencies, snapped up a majority stake in Frieze in 2016 through the group’s holding company Denmark Street Limited.
Frieze was launched as an art magazine in 1991 by Matthew Slotover and Tom Gidley. However, the company is best known for its art fair, which first launched in Regent’s Park in 2003 and has since expanded to New York and Los Angeles.
During his tenure at Reach, Fox oversaw the acquisition of the Express and Star titles, while the company reported digital revenue growth of 10 per cent in its latest results.
Announcing his departure last year, Fox said: “There is never an ideal time to leave an organisation, but if there were it would be now.”
Frieze and Fox have been contacted for comment.