New Zealander Michael King has sold his 50% share of the Kontent Group to founding partner Geoffrey Dawe. With Kontent preparing to launch a new magazine called International Architecture and Design (in partnership with Eithne McCredie of Abacus Circulation and a silent partner), King says the time was right for him to sell his stake and move on. “It all kind of seemed to make sense,” he says.

Geoffrey Dawe and Michael King in 2003.

Kontent was founded in 2002 with the launch of Inside Entertainment magazine. The company also publishes FQ and Sir (in partnership with Canadian fashion guru Jeanne Beker, who is a minor stakeholder in the company).

King, who just returned from ten days in the Bahamas, plans to take the next 12 months for rest and relaxtion with his family. He’s also taken up the chair with Fashion Cares, a fashion show that raises funds for AIDS research.

The split with Kontent was amicable, King says. “Geoff and I are good friends. We’ll remain good friends. And like all businesses it had its up and downs. But at the end of the day—and I think I can speak for Geoff—we’re very proud of what we’ve done.”

Dawe reports a number of other changes at Kontent. Alix Johnston, who was most recently at Where Magazine in London, England, is now the assoiciate publisher for International Architecture and Design. Heidi Ferris has been promoted internally from sales promotion director to vice president of marketing for the company. Bob Makinson, formerly the art director for FQ and Sir, has returned to the company as creative director for those titles. And Shelagh Tarleton, publisher of Inside Entertainment, has been promoted to senior VP and publisher of Kontent Group (she is also a minor stakeholder in the company).