HERD

First Boston Corp. is seeking someone to manage its market data. The job carries annual compensation of $135,000 - $200,000, according to sources. The new employee would effectively succeed Dan Martone, who took over from Bill Rothfarb. Rothfarb was market data chief at the firm until 1992. Martone left First Boston for National Westminster Bank this summer (IMD, Aug. 16). Rothfarb was last spotted offering to assist data vendors and users in tracking and monitoring data usage (IMD, March 29).

As expected (IMD, Nov. 8), Reuters' Buford Smith has a new job. Smith, who was head of the vendor's international development group, has been tapped to head Reuters NewMedia Inc., a newly formed unit to develop Reuters' multimedia strategy. Also joining the new unit is Andrew Nibley, senior vice president in charge of news and television. Nibley also holds the title of editor, America. No replacement has as yet been named for Smith, nor for Nibley, but both will assume the new positions on Jan. 1. The appointment of Nibley to the new group suggests Reuters will seek to offer proprietary content for whatever new services the group develops. While some observers suggest that the deployment of Smith and Nibley to the unit is a sign that the new group plays a key role in Reuters' corporate strategy, Reuters managing director Peter Job was cautious when he discussed opportunities in what he called "new media" in a conference call with investors two weeks ago, sources say. Job pointed to the immaturity of the delivery technologies and suggested that the entertainment industry will likely profit first from such new delivery mechanisms as interactive TV.

Jeff Bank, who joined McGraw-Hill Inc.'s MMS International commentary services group from Knight-Ridder earlier this year, has been named marketing director for MMS Americas, effective Jan. 1. Bank has been handling product development marketing, and will have responsibility for direct delivery to customers of MMS' commentary. At the same time, MMS will lose its current marketing director David Beasley. Beasley opted to stay in California, from which MMS will move its marketing group to New York in January.