MEDIA: HEADLINER - New Mail on Sunday MD plans to build on paper's successes.(a discussion of Stephen Miron, the new managing director of The Mail)(Column)

Stephen Miron must boost sales and reinvigorate the product. Ian Darby reports.

Two contrasting thoughts pervaded media agencies following the departure of Mike Ironside as the managing director of The Mail on Sunday last week.

The first was a feeling of sadness that a loyal and respected member of the Associated Newspapers management was leaving. The second was a real willingness to work with his successor, Stephen Miron.

And you clearly can't underestimate the hard-headedness of most press buyers. After a few hours of shock, most seem to have come to a conclusion along the lines of: 'The king is dead, long live the king.'

The circumstances of Ironside's departure are still shrouded in mystery and observers are offering several theories as to why he might have resigned after 14 years.

Miron, 38, says he doesn't know why Ironside left. He received a phone call at home last Monday night offering him the job and was in his new office by Tuesday morning. He denies he's had his eyes on the job since rejoining Associated.

Given his background, Miron's appointment seems like a logical one that can't simply be explained away by his good relationship with the Associated chairman, Lord Rothermere. Before leaving Associated, to become the commercial director of The Independent, he spent ten years at The Mail on Sunday rising to ad manager. His time at The Independent and, on his return to Associated, running the free ad paper Loot and new-media ventures, brought him wider commercial experience.