Media Movers: Nine welcomes Memo Hayek, Foundry closes CMO, The Australian, 60 Minutes

Posted on 25 February 2023

Media Movers takes a look at the recent moves announced across the industry during the week of 20/02/23

Media Movers across the industry include:

• Nine has announced the appointment of Memo Hayek to the role of chief information and technology officer (CITO).

In this expanded role, Hayek will be responsible for the vision, strategy, planning and delivery of technology across Nine. She will work closely with chief product officer, Bec Haagsma, to deliver consumer experiences and commercial products, all while delivering value to Nine’s consumers, clients and employees.

• Georgina Windsor has been promoted to deputy editor of The Australian. For the past five years, she was the Inquirer editor.

• Christine Kellett was appointed content director of The Australian. In the role, she will drive the storytelling across the publication’s platforms.

• Stepping back as Inquirer editor at The Australian is Jennifer Campbell after two years leading the opinion and analysis during the 2022 federal election and the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Nicholas Jensen has been elevated to commentary editor and will work from The Australian’s NSW bureau.

• Returning to The Australian is Elyse Popplewell, who takes on the role of content strategy director. Her most recent role was editor of theoz.com.au

• Taking on the role of social media editor is Bianca Farmakis, and will spearhead content on Instagram and TikTok

• Emilia Tortorella joins The Australian as digital design director and will lead illustration and graphics for the publication’s website and apps.

• Joining The Australian is Geordie Gray as the new entertainment reporter covering TV, film, streaming, music, theatre, and more.

• Australian Geographic has officially unveiled its new e-commerce shopto expand its brand footprint further into the digital space. The team has also appointed dedicated e-commerce professionals to oversee the site launch and its ongoing success.

Joining the team is senior e-commerce manager, Izaac Blomley, retail and licensing manager, Tom Bates and e-commerce and subscriptions manager, Karen French.

• Matt Wordsworth enters communications after more than two decades at the ABC, five of which were spent as anchor of ABC’s flagship 7 pm Queensland bulletin. He joins Blue Hill PR as a director.

• Mark Tamhane has left the ABC after 35 years with the broadcaster. During his career, he reported and produced programs for radio and TV in Australia and Europe.

• Selma Milovanovic begins at The Age as digital editions editor. Her promotion at the publications comes after she spent five years in the company, she was previously weekday print editor.

• After much consideration, Foundry (formerly IDG Communications), has announced the closure of the CMO Australia brand.

In February 2022, IDG Communications rebranded as Foundry. The announcement marked the company’s transformation from legacy media network to integrated marketing technology (martech) and data provider.

• Joining ABC News Federal Parliament as a federal political reporter is Nicole Hegarty. Based in Canberra, she will file stories across radio, TV and online.

• The Mandarin has promoted Peter Gearin from special reports editor to editor.

• Indira Naidoo will be at the helm of ABC’s Compass as host of the program.

• Soofia Tariq has completed her cadetship at The Canberra Times and has been promoted to general news reporter.

• Telum Media has promoted Clare Manera and Rhys Evans to executive from associate executive.

• Gamilaroi man Cameron Gooley has been appointed as Voice correspondent for NITV. He was previously Victoria correspondent for NITV and Indigenous affairs reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.

• Joining 60 Minutes as a producer is Serge Negus. He will leave his role as senior producer of triple j’s Hack.

• Seven has welcomed Emily Grace who begins at the network as a senior social media producer. She was previously social media editor for TVNZ.

• Joining the on-air line-up of ausbiz in March is Danielle Ecuyer. Ecuyer is the creator of Shareplicity and was previously director of ING Barings (Asia) and UBS Wealth Management (London).

• Melody Teh wrapped up with Mamamia after four years with the online publication and was most recently editor of the website. She is now open to freelance work.

• The Daily Advertiser is Wagga Wagga has promoted Daisy Huntly as deputy editor of the publication.

• Havas has announced the return of James Wright to Australia as CEO Havas Creative Network and will take responsibility for its agencies, including Host/Havas, h/commerce, Red Havas, Havas Blvd, One Green Bean and Organic.

• Additionally, Gayle While has been appointed CEO at Host/Havas and will report to Wright. While joins from Dentsu where she was chief client officer. She was previously CEO at Clemenger BBDO.

• Ben Potter will step down as companies editor at The Australian Financial Review. He will return to a senior writing role after an extended break.

• Stepping into companies editor role at The Australian Financial Review is Vesna Poljak. She was previously deputy companies editor and financial services editor.

• James Daggar-Nickson has been appointed as editorial director for AFR Insights. He will work closely with Alana Piper, head of ventures, to scope, develop and pilot new business opportunities.

• Jonathan Williams has wrapped up his time at 10 after more than a decade as sports presenter and producer and is open to open to new opportunities.

• Amber Schultz joins The Sun-Herald as a reporter, covering general news. She was previously an associate editor and investigative reporter at Crikey.

• Mamamia has welcomed the appointment of Elfy Scott as editor of the online publication.

• Ashleigh Austen goes freelance after wrapping up her stint as commercial integration editor across online and print for Domain.

• Chloe-Lee Longhetti returns to Daily Mail Australia in Sydney as assistant showbusiness editor after her six-month secondment stint at MailOnline in London.

• Lauren Tomasi has been promoted from journalist for Channel Nine Sydney to US correspondent for the network.

• The Australian Financial Review has welcomed Joanne Tran as markets reporter; she was previously a cadet journalist for News Corp Australia.

• Lucia Hawley has been named as 7Bravo’s local host and face of Live From E! red-carpet events in Australia.

Hawley will be front and centre at Australia’s biggest awards shows and fashion events, showcasing all the red-carpet glamour with Live From E! coverage on 7Bravo, which launched on the Seven Network and 7plus on 15 January.

• 3AW’s Mornings with Neil Mitchell welcomes Ryan Runge as audio producer and panel operator

• Zain Nabi moves to NewsGuard as an analyst after wrapping up as a journalist and digital production and content trainer at SBS.

• Kylie Rees joins Carers NSW as communications coordinator after finishing up as digital editor of The Australian Women’s Weekly Food.

• Joining 7NEWS.com.au as a national reporter is Bianca Bongato, who was previously an editor at Reuters.

• Thinkerbell has welcomed Phillippa Netolickyas general manager of Thinkerbell North (Sydney).

Netolicky said of her new role: “Thinkerbell’s all-in model appeals to me. I was looking for an independent agency willing to find a better way of doing things. Thinkerbell is it.”

• Max Walden begins his new role as a digital reporter at The Age after finishing as producer on ABC RN.

• Jack Mahony begins his new role at Sky News Australia as sports presenter after wrapping up as digital reporter for the publication.

• Chris Smith makes his comeback as the afternoon presenter at TNT Radio, from 3-5pm.

• The Herald Sun has appointed Himangi Singh as a news reporter in the Albury Wodonga region, she was previously a journalism intern at the publication.

• The Media Store has welcomed the appointments of Sam Cousins and Max Rivera, who will also join the independent media agency’s senior leadership team.

Cousins joins The Media Store as chief strategy officer from the Dentsu group, where she has spent the past 16 years, most recently as chief strategy officer at the Dentsu-owned iProspect Agency.

Rivera joins The Media Store as data & analytics director, following a six-year career at Amobee, most recently as director – data and solutions. Rivera brings to TMS the expertise of unifying audiences to optimise results across all channels to drive client outcomes.

• Athos Sirianos has been appointed as digital reporter for News Corp Australia, covering the Wyndham and Werribee regions.

• The Daily Telegraph welcomes Tom McGann as a journalist and court reporter.

• Marie Claire has appointed Francesca Hartley as editorial coordinator and beauty writer.

• Hatched has welcomed the appointment of Adam Steward as the agency’s new position of head of performance & e-commerce based in Sydney.

Steward joins from Havas, where he spent more than five years expanding the agency’s performance capabilities, most recently as national head of performance and e-commerce.

• The Illawarra Mercury has welcomed Nadine Morton as a breaking news reporter.

• Harley Dennett has wrapped up as public service editor at The Canberra Times. He will occasionally return to write for the publication but will focus on completing his masters.

• Reuters video producer Mindy Burrows is moving to Australia in June and is open to new roles in Sydney.