Derwent Howard has formally confirmed their split with UK publisher Future Publishing with the Company set to end their seven year contract for titles such as T3, Official Xbox 360 Magazine and Official Microsoft Vista Magazine and Guitarist Magazine in 3 months time. The company has also announced the appointment of Nick Cutler as Managing Director effective immediatly.

Derwent Howard Director Jim Flynn said "Nick has spearheaded Derwent Howard's commercial growth for the past four years and this is a well deserved and natural progression," the company said.

In a statement issued to SmartHouse The Company said "Derwent Howard has enjoyed a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Future Publishing and was aware the UK company would eventually move to establish its own presence in the Australian magazine publishing sector". The statement added ""Derwent Howard has been in discussions with Future Publishing over its print portfolio for some time," the company continued. "Following these discussions, both parties have decided to part company and discontinue all existing licensing relationships over the next three months."

 The news of the split with Future was confirmed as rumours emerged that another UK publisher who supplies content to Haymarket magazine PC Authority is looking at setting up in Australia.

In an email sent to myself last Friday Karl Penn the former Group Publishing Director of Derwent Howard said "After two years at Derwent Howard, I've resigned from my position as Group Publishing Director, and will be leaving to head up a new operation in Sydney, and which will also involve a number of existing locally published titles including Official Xbox 360 Magazine, Official Microsoft Vista Magazine, T3 Magazine, and Australian Guitarist, and I'm sure the specific details will unravel in the next few days, and weeks, but it is linked to some of the operational announcements currently being made by Derwent Howard".