BusinessWeek's Sibley Stays As Publisher Under Bloomberg; BW.com's Neal Is Out

Following weeks of guessing about who will stay and who will go after BusinessWeek is handed off to Bloomberg next month, the mag’s worldwide published Jessica Sibley will remain, TalkingBizNews reports. However, Roger Neal, BusinessWeek.com’s SVP/GM, is departing. Neal’s digital team will report to Bloomberg.com head Kevin Krim once the move commences on December 4. Bloomberg promises that all staffing issues will be mapped out and announced by November 20.

The news comes a week after Keith Fox, the mag’s president, said he would leave BusinessWeek to stay behind at former parent McGraw-Hill (NYSE: MHP). Stephen Adler, who was editor-in-chief of BusinessWeek for four years, became the first major exec to make plans to depart since the sale to Bloomberg was announced last month.

Joining Sibley in the move are Ellen Pollock and John Byrne as executive editors, while Ciro Scotti keeps his post as managing editor. Rounding out the team are Carl Fischer and Tania Secor. While Fischer will remain in marketing and communications, Secor’s finance duties will be expanded to include Bloomberg Markets as well as her continued work for BusinessWeek.

Keeping the management team of the magazine mostly intact is not much of a surprise, though one source notes that these are merely contract extensions. Whether the team will stay together after the contracts expire is certainly not assured. Meanwhile, sources say that Neal’s departure isn’t a nail in coffin of the magazine’s Business Exchange though there is a sign of hope for it since Bloomberg.com recently added the BX share tool.

Full memo:

“We are pleased to bring you a report on progress as we work toward the December 1 integration.

Foremost on our minds are issues involving people, and we are striving to make this process as transparent and expeditious as possible. Bloomberg expects to retain a majority of BusinessWeek’s employees. Each business area will follow a somewhat different selection approach, except in Europe and certain countries where local requirements govern the process. Look for a communication shortly for details in your area. Our goal is to provide clarity around post-integration roles by November 20.

In terms of the leadership organization, we are pleased to announce that Jessica Sibley, Carl Fischer and Tania Secor will join Bloomberg. Jessica will serve as Publisher of BusinessWeek, overseeing print and digital ad sales. Carl will be head of Marketing and Communications, and Tania will have an expanded finance role with Bloomberg News that will include Bloomberg Markets and BusinessWeek. We will make additional announcements about leadership in the near future.

We continue with the selection process for a new Editor-in-Chief and are pleased that Ellen Pollock, John Byrne and Ciro Scotti will continue in their editorial leadership roles.

Roger Neal has informed us of his decision not to join the integrated company. We are grateful for the tremendous foundation that he has built for the digital properties. Roger’s Digital team will report to Bloomberg’s Kevin Krim.

Looking at facilities, we expect to move all BusinessWeek offices and bureaus globally (except New York and Austin, Texas) to existing Bloomberg offices on December 4. Employees based in New York will continue to work at 1221 Avenue of the Americas until space is available at Bloomberg’s 731 Lexington Avenue building. Details will be provided by office as they become available.

In the U.S., BusinessWeek staff members who join Bloomberg will receive a paper paycheck on December 15 to provide income continuity, particularly during the holidays. Since this will be a special, out-of-cycle payment, we cannot accommodate direct deposit. FICA deductions will restart with the move to Bloomberg’s payroll. Going forward, most new employees will be paid on a monthly basis. The balance of December pay will be made on January 4, 2010.

Additionally, BusinessWeek staff members in the U.S. will remain on the McGraw-Hill medical, dental and vision plans through year-end but, in keeping with Bloomberg’s benefit plan, will not pay a premium. In December, we will conduct an open enrollment for new employees to enroll in Bloomberg’s health and insurance plans for 2010.

Answers to a range of additional questions about expenses, mobile devices, flexible spending accounts, supplies, technology and other issues, are forthcoming.

We look forward to meeting many of you at information sessions over the next few weeks.”

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