TechWeb takes shape: Major Promotions and hires announced in the house of Uphoff

By SDH Tony Uphoff, our long time candidate to take over as CMP Media CEO didn’t land that gig, but he landed a CEO. Uphoff who is now CEO of TechWeb, one of four new companies born from the CMP bust up, is wasting no time getting his house in order. The company has announced a slew of promotions and three new hires. Take our word for it, you’ve never seen so many new Vice Presidents in one press release, at least we haven’t. Uphoff is making sure he has the right people in the right places because of the four companies created, he landed the biggest based on revenue. We were expecting to see another VP nod but I guess that one won’t be happening.

All hail King Uphoff, Kinda!

BY SDH Our main man (in our heads of course) Tony Uphoff may not have gotten the BIG CEO gig at CMP, because his rulers at United Business Media came up with the brilliant idea to break up the company into four separate businesses. But based on 2007 proforma revenues ($178 million) for TechWeb, formerly CMP’s Business Technology Group, Uphoff has been running the biggest group which now means he will run the biggest of the four. So at the end of the day Uphoff still carries more weight than his 3 counterparts which is not necessarily a good thing. Wonder how many employees each company has? And will each company have its own CFO? Damn it this is so confusing!

Nielsen forms new entertainment group and puts former Variety publisher Gerry Byrne in charge

BY SDH As rumors continue to escalate about the possible appointment of Tony Uphoff as CEO of CMP Media, things at his old stomping grounds over at Nielsen are being shuffled around. When Uphoff left his gig as Publisher of The Hollywood Reporter & President of the Film & Performing Arts Group, John Kilcullen was put in charge. Well John Kilcullen is now out and former Variety publisher and media and marketing consultant Gerry Byrne will run the new entertainment group which consists of Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Back Stage, Kirkus Reviews, The Bookseller, Film Journal International, and the film industry expositions ShoWest, ShowEast, Cinema Expo International and CineAsia Exposition. Previously these brands were housed under two separate groups, Film & Performing Arts and Music & Literary. Clearly Nielsen is trying to cut some costs by throwing all these brands under one group and one leader.

Is it true? Will CMP Technology honor our choice for CEO?

BY SDH When Steve Weitzner was strategically demoted at CMP, we got over the shock really quick and began our predictions as to who would be named CEO. For a while we've said we believed the person would be from within the company. Ok so we threw around the idea of an outsider as well but our hearts remained with an internal candidate. We put together a short list of who we thought would be possible candidates for the CEO gig and some were OK choices and some were just not right for the job. But one candidate stuck out based on what the suits at United Business Media, CMP's parent company said they were looking for. The individual we decided would be the perfect choice to lead CMP was Tony Upoff currently CMP’s Business Technology Group president. Now we get word via Foliomag.com that a new CEO could be named before the end of this week and guess whose name is being thrown around as the possible choice? Yup Mr. Uphoff. It's a no brainer. Uphoff brings exactly what United Business Media CEO David Levine says he wants in the next CEO. So did, United Business Media listen to us? Who knows but we know you're reading!! If this information from Foliomag.com is indeed true, then all Hail King Uphoff!!!