With effect from 10 August, responsibility for all UK print, paper and pre-press requirements for both H Bauer Publishing and Bauer Media will be assumed by current H Bauer Publishing head of production Frank Ryan.

In a statement, Bauer said that Read, who joined the company through its acquisition of Emap Consumer Media in December 2007, was "leaving the business to pursue other interests".

Read, who took over from Andy Franks as Emap's group production director in February 2007 after 18 years with IPC Media, is widely regarded as one of the best brains in the industry.

Following the decision, Ryan will take on one of the most powerful buying roles in UK print, comprising Bauer's entire UK portfolio of 82 magazines and more than 380m copies per year.

In a statement, Bauer said: "Frank has over 20 years experience with Bauer and has extensive knowledge of the group's own production and manufacturing resources [including the group's] four major printing plants across Germany and Poland."

Bauer stressed that the decision would not affect any of the current print suppliers to H Bauer Publishing and Bauer Media.

Read could not be reached for comment at the time of writing.