New face at helm of Jasons Travel Media

Steven Joyce, a former National Party election campaign manager, has been appointed chief executive of publisher Jasons Travel Media.

The move came as Mr Joyce's investment company today purchased a further 1 million shares in Jasons in an off-market transaction at 52c per share, taking his stake to 8.8 per cent.

He takes over as chief executive from John Sandford who founded the company 39 years ago.

Mr Joyce has been a non-executive director of Jasons Travel Media for the last 18 months. He was campaign manager for the National Party for two years and was also a former chief executive of RadioWorks New Zealand Ltd.

"John felt that after many years of building the company and successfully bringing it to the sharemarket last year, now was the right time for him to step aside from an executive role," chairman Geoff Burns said.

Mr Sandford will stay involved in Jasons as a board member and as a shareholder via his family trust.

The company publishes 45 different travel-related publications.

- NZPA