BBC confirms departure of marketing chief

The BBC has confirmed the departure of marketing chief Sharon Baylay and further changes at the top of the corporation that will see Peter Salmon and Lucy Adams step down from its executive board. Baylay, who joined the BBC in May last year as director of marketing, communications and audiences (MC&A), is to leave without being replaced. Salmon, the director of BBC North, and Adams, director of human resources department BBC People, will continue in their roles but will step down from the executive board and join the new BBC operating committee. The MC&A and People divisions will no longer be standalone divisions, joining an expanded Operations group led by the chief operating officer, Caroline Thomson. The corporation, which is aiming to reduce its senior management pay bill by 25% by the end of next year, said this would "enable the BBC to realise further efficiency savings in support and management costs". The latest changes follow the announcement that the deputy director, Mark Byford, was being made redundant . The BBC News director, Helen Boaden, is joining the restructured executive board following the closure of the deputy director general post. Writing to staff, the director general, Mark Thompson, said: "My objective is simplification – simplifying reporting lines, simplifying structures and reducing the number of senior managers. "No one should doubt our continuing belief in the importance of the work done by these divisions and the crucial role they have to play in the future of the BBC." • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".