Mamamia has appointed IAG marketer Zara Curtis as chief content officer.
Curtis becomes newly-minted CEO Natalie Harvey‘s first major hire, and will join the women’s media company in September from her previous role as head of customer experience, brand communications, and social impact for IAG.
“There is so much opportunity for a modern media business like Mamamia and Zara’s diverse experience will be a huge asset for our team as we accelerate into the future, building on the incredible engagement and enormous scale we already have,” Harvey said.
Curtis has 20 years of experience across content, creative, and marketing roles. Her resume also includes time as commercial director of news lifestyle media, and general manager of branded entertainment and commercial at Fremantle Productions.
“I’ve always been truly inspired by Mamamia’s purpose ‘to make the world a better place for women and girls’ and I am a passionate believer in the role of independent publishing to authentically deliver on such an important mission,” Curtis said.
Curtis’ role will set the strategic content direction for audience growth and lead the Mamamia content team. This team includes the recently promoted Eliza Sorman-Nilsson (head of content), Jocelin Abbey (head of audience development), Jessie-Lee Klass (podcast content director), and Harrie Jack (creative director).
Curtis’ appointment coincides with Mamamia co-founder Mia Freedman’s move into the chief creative officer role.
Freedman said she and Curtis had worked “incredibly closely back in the golden era of magazines,” and that she was “delighted to be reuniting with her at Mamamia.”
“We have always shared a love of women’s media and the unrivalled power it has to influence culture, behaviour, and purchasing decisions,” Freedman said.
“For many years we have been looking for the right person for this role and I couldn’t be more excited to be working alongside someone I admire and trust so much and who ‘gets’ our brand so instinctively.”
Curtis noted that Mamamia has “earned the trust of 7 million Australian women’s ears and eyeballs and is the number one podcast network for women in the world.” She said she will focus on growing audiences across every platform and increasing engagement.
“With Nat Harvey at the helm and a leadership dream team, I am honoured to be joining. I’ll bring my creativity, passion, and deep strategic content and audience expertise to this already incredible team working alongside founder, friend, and fearless chief creative officer Mia Freedman to push the boundaries and over deliver on our collective ambitions for Mamamia as we continue to advocate, represent, and engage Australian women today and into the future.”
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Top image: Zara Curtis and Mia Freedman