-By Mike Shields

Vivek Shah, group president, digital at Time Inc., will leave the company at the end of this year.

The 15-year Time veteran has not announced his next move but insisted that his imminent departure was his choice and that his next landing spot would be in the digital media space.

"This company has been unbelievable to me," said Shah. "I've had a great 15 years here, and I'm leaving on excellent terms. I wouldn't leave if I didn't feel like I have a great team in place."

Shah's position is unlikely to be filled, as Time Inc.—like most magazine companies—is suffering from a brutal ad market, which is forcing it to shed staffers. Instead, one of the general managers under Shah, Time.com general manager John Cantarella, will assume responsibility over the other publications Shah had managed, including Sports Illustrated's site, CNNMoney.com and Golf.com

Still, Shah's departure represents a blow to Time Inc.'s digital transition. In recent years, the much-respected executive previously served as president, digital publishing at Time Inc. Business & Finance Network and general manager at Fortune/Money Group.

Shah emphasized that he had no firm plan in place going forward. "I really plan on taking my time and assessing my next move," he said. "There are a lot of opportunities in digital, and there are numerous business models in digital publishing and advertising to explore."