Trinity Mirror drop plans to recruit Piper

Trinity Mirror said today it was dropping plans to recruit finance director Ric Piper from troubled PFI-bidder WS Atkins.

The company, which publishes the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, The People and a host of regional titles, said that by “mutual consent” the 50-year old would not be joining the board today as planned.

Atkins stunned the market yesterday by warning profits would be way below forecasts – after a downturn in demand and a foul-up at its flagship billing centre.

Mr Piper was due to begin his new job as finance director at the newspaper group this morning.