Kerry Stokes’ lieutenant Simon Francis to leave Seven West Media

Simon Francis.

After more than two decades as Kerry Stokes’ master of the dark arts, Simon Francis is leaving Seven West Media.

This is the end of an era.

Francis — a ferocious spin doctor and unrivalled launcher — has been a key component of Stokes’ ruthless executive team.

He was a shadowy, and hilarious, member of the Machiavelli Ristorante haunting team that under David Leckie’s leadership turned Seven into Australia’s dominate commercial TV station, displacing Channel Nine.

Francis’s departure follows that of Seven’s corporate and regulatory affairs boss Bridget Fair, who is off to run the industry group Free TV Australia in the new year.

That leaves embattled CEO Tim Worner and commercial director Bruce McWilliam as the remnants of Seven West’s executive old guard, which has taken a battering over the last 12 months courtesy of Amber Harrison, Worner’s former mistress.

As for the cancer stick and caffeine loving Francis, here’s hoping there’s a memoir in the raconteur’s near future. Imagine the stories he could tell.