Fairfax man ducks the denial

Brian Evans

The head of publisher Fairfax's New Zealand division, Brian Evans, has kept alive speculation that he has been shortlisted for the Australian company's top job.

Australian newspapers say Fairfax has a shortlist of fewer than five candidates for the chief executive role and Brian Evans is seen as a contender.

The present chief executive, Fred Hilmer, resigned in May, but has been waiting for a replacement to be named before departing.

Evans has 30 years' experience in newspapers.

Yesterday, he did not definitively rule out a move.

"There's a lot of speculation about a lot of things," he said.

"I'm very happy in New Zealand and have no real desire to go."

Other contenders for the top job at Fairfax could include West Australian Newspapers Holdings chief executive Ian Law and Aegis Group boss and former News Corp executive Douglas Flynn.

Evans manages about 30 per cent of Fairfax's business, in the Dominion Post, Sunday Star-Times and regional and community papers and magazines.

He has overseen Fairfax as it faces increased competition from Herald publisher APN News & Media, which entered the previously all-Fairfax Sunday market when it started the Herald on Sunday in October.

In an investor presentation this week, Evans said a "national advertising sales push" at Fairfax had been successful and that The Press, the Waikato Times and the Dominion Post were now making "very acceptable margins".

Evans spoke of a plan to combat TV and catalogue advertising and the development of a national sales project team.

Evans was a group general manager of Fairfax's regional and community newspapers in Australia before officially taking over as New Zealand chief executive in the middle of last year.