John Holland was employed by the University of Salford in January 2009 to lead and exploit all the opportunities presented by its move to MediaCityUK next year.
His role was absolutely pivotal, centre stage in generating income and links for the University's new centre which will include a broadcast zone, digital media zone, virtual laboratory, digital performance space and creative learning departments. The fit out costs alone for the site are over £15million, excluding the enormous rent to Peel Media. There are huge sums of money to recoup, so it seems strange that Holland is leaving in the midst of his brief.
"MediaCityUK presents an unprecedented opportunity of regional, national and international significance" he states on the University's website "In these economically challenging times, it's a massive display of confidence…"
The news of Holland's departure from the University follows in the wake of the `redundancy' from MediaCityUK of Jason Legget, Peel Media's Head of Business Development, who was also responsible for revenue streams and opportunities.
Holland has left to "take up an exciting opportunity running a media-consultancy based in London", according to the University. But he recently told the `A Toast To MediaCityUK' event that MediaCityUK "really is something of global significance…where we can roll back the frontiers of knowledge and realise people's dreams"…
Obviously Holland's own dreams now lie in a London media consultancy…
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