NORTHERN PLANNER

(picture from Russell Davies)

I'm going to working here in four weeks time.

I'll be leaving the best account director I ever worked with, the best staff canteen and many great people.

But in this business, you need to change the gig from time to time.

The moment you feel you're not moving forward where you are, you need to move where you are.

The moment you feel the direction of an organisation isn't where you want to go, it's time go.

More importantly, when you have an opportunity that will entail learning new stuff, that gives you a dose of fear. Where you can try new stuff with people you admire, there needs to be good reason for you not to take it.

I'll be doing a commute that will involve a daily bike ride and train, which is just ace. Not only will I get the wind in my (non-existent) hair, I'll get an hour's reading every day.

Because it's Manchester I'll be investing in a high quality rain jacket (someone accused me of changing jobs to break my year of not buying anything rule).

It will be odd being divorced from the creative product, but I've been noticing that media outfits are increasingly owning comms strategy while creative agencies just implement.Much of that is down to creative agencies focusing too much on the pretty pictures rather than what the pretty pictures are supposed to be achieving. Some of it is just down to shifting rules of engagement.

By the way, they're looking to replace me here. If you're thinking of having a go, make sure you talk to me first. I will be very straight with you.