Former CEO APAC and global growth officer of WeAre8, Lizzie Young, has been appointed CEO of audio industry body, Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA).
Chairman and ARN CEO, Ciaran Davis, confirmed the appointment on Thursday. Young will commence her role at CRA on 7 August, 2024.
Young has 25 years’ experience across multiple global markets and has worked on all media platforms in roles spanning commercial, content, and operations. Prior to her role at WeAre8, Young held the position of managing director – local markets, group marketing and commercial partnerships at Nine, spending 12 years in the role.
She has also spent over a decade in the audio industry, including seven years at GWR Radio/GCap (now Global Radio) in the UK, in roles including commercial programming controller and head of agency sales.
Young is the third CEO for CRA in almost exactly two years, replacing Ford Ennals. Ennals resigned in April, having informed the board of his decision to step down immediately
See also: Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) searching for new CEO after Ford Enalls quits
Ennals took up the CEO role in 2022, replacing replacing Joan Warner.
Young stepped down from her role as APAC CEO and global growth officer at WeAre8 in March. After helping the business launch into the US market last year, she cited time zones as her reason for leaving, with her global role seeing her work across Australia, the UK, and the USA.
See also: Going Global: Behind the WeAre8 launch into the US market
Young will take up the CRA mantle as the industry body faces down the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs on the Copyright Legislation Amendment (Fair Pay for Radio Pay) Bill 2023.
The Bill proposes amending the Copyright Act 1968 to remove restrictions limiting the Copyright Tribunal’s ability to determine the amount payable to rights holders in sound recordings when music is played on commercial and ABC radio.
See also: PPCA and CRA welcome committee report suggesting removing radio caps warrants investigation