Smooth Radio – the new name for West Midlands-based Saga radio – has added to its sales division by poaching two key personnel from rivals Heart 100.7.

Smooth Radio, now owned by the Guardian Media Group (GMG) since the sale of Saga stations in December 2006, appointed Sarah Whittaker as sales manager and Jim Bourne as sponsorship and promotions manager.

Mr Bourne spent more than six years at Heart before moving, and worked in advertising agencies in the West Midlands before that, including Cogent and Barkers. Both will be joining the station on April 30.

Paul Cranwell, sales director at Smooth Radio, said: "This is an extremely exciting and busy time for the station and I'm delighted that Sarah and Jim are joining the region's exciting new station.

"They both have incredible experience and respect within the West Midlands market and will be great assets to our local sales force. GMG Radio have invested heavily in the Midlands and we have nearly doubled our commercial operation including our new agency team of Mark Paxton and Helen Davis, based in our Birmingham offices."

Smooth Radio is part of a network of five stations targeting mature adults. The Saga station was rebranded and the lineup changed to a younger-sounding output in an attempt to target Radio 2 listeners.

As it loses two sales staff to Smooth Radio, Heart have appointed Paul Gerrard as new deputy programme director controlling output across Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country.