Mason Rook has been appointed as the CEO of Pedestrian following his recent resignation from his role as commercial director of sales and operations for Australia and New Zealand at Guardian Australia.
Rook, who will step into the role on 29 July, has an extensive background in the publishing industry and driving youth engagement. He has previously held senior commercial positions at ARN, The Daily Mail, and Nine, where he was sales director.
This appointment to the role marks a significant milestone in the youth publisher’s journey as it refocuses on building out its owned and operated business across publishing and television.
Earlier this month, as parent company Nine Entertainment made extensive cuts, Pedestrian Group announced it would be transitioning “out of current brand licences” to focus on the Pedestrian brand, alongside the departure of previous CEO, Matt Rowley.
Licensed brands to be dropped include Gizmodo, Lifehacker, Vice, Refinery29, and Kotaku.
Rook’s leadership at the Guardian Australian drove strong commercial outcomes, fostering creative client collaborations and championing initiatives that resonated with brands.
As Pedestrian CEO, Rook will spearhead strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing content quality and alignment, diversifying the publisher’s commercial base and leveraging Pedestrian’s entire suite of unique assets to better connect leading brands with Australian youth.
Alex Parsons, Nine’s chief digital officer and chair of Pedestrian, said: “We are delighted to welcome Mason back to the Nine business in his new role with Pedestrian.”
“Mason’s impressive track record and forward-thinking approach makes him the ideal leader to guide us through the next, exciting phase of our growth. He is without doubt one of the most talented media operators I have worked with.”
“I am thrilled to be joining Pedestrian and to have the opportunity to lead such a dynamic and impactful organisation,” Rook said of his appointment to CEO.
“I’ve been a personal fan of the business for many years and I look forward to working with the talented team to deliver exceptional content and connect Australia’s best brands to these audiences in new and exciting ways.”
–
Top image: Mason Rook