Former Austereo General Manager Gary Roberts has been appointed Managing Director of the new Perth FM station in the first of the station’s new staffing arrangements announced this week. The new station, which will be heard on 93.7, will be located on the corner of Hay Street and Rokeby Road, Subiaco.

Seven senior appointments were announced for the new broadcaster, a company jointly owned by the Australian Radio Network and DMG Radio Australia and managed by D M G.

Gary Roberts was previously Program Director and then General Manager of 96FM between 1980 and 1992 and led that station to 34 consecutive survey wins. In the last decade Roberts led the team that rebuilt Mix 94.5 and created Perth’s first radio duopoly with the purchase of PM FM (now 92.9).

DMG CEO Paul Thompson told AMT: “In establishing this radio station, DMG and our joint venture partner, the Australian Radio Network, are driven by the intention to build a great radio station for Perth and to give Perth listeners program options never previously available… Fortunately, Perth’s most eminent broadcaster, Gary Roberts, became available to undertake this task and we are delighted to appoint him Managing Director.”

“This will be a Perth radio station devoted to innovation, creativity and a high level of responsiveness to our clients’ needs,” said Thompson.

To lead the sales team, “DMG have lured back home to Perth one of the music industry’s most accomplished executives,” John Sackson as Client Director.

For the last four years Sackton was Managing Director of Columbia and Epic Records for Sony Music Australia in Sydney. His previous positions include Group General Manager – Sales for Polygram music in Sydney and various music industry and marketing positions.

Also announced this week:

Gina Azar has been appointed Agency Client Manager and Michael Brennan will be Direct Client Manager. Azar has an extensive radio background including 2Day FM Sydney and prior to this appointment, she was the Agency Account Manager for Mix 94.5. Brennan has been recruited from overseas to join DMG in Perth. Previously he was Sales Manager of Channel 4 in Dubai and prior to that he was State Sales Manager of the Regional Radio Bureau in Queensland and Agency Account Manager of the Regional Radio Bureau in Melbourne.

Shandra Moran has been appointed Promotions Director. She was previously Promotions Manager of Austereo’s 92.9 and for the last few months has been at DMG’s Nova stations in Sydney and Melbourne working on special projects.

Mark Hales will be the Music Director of the new station. He previously held the same position at 92.9.

Stephen Lloyd will be transferring from Nova Sydney to DMG Perth to take on the role of Chief Engineer. Lloyd was involved in the building and launch of Nova in Sydney.