DIGITAL MEDIA

PBL Media is ramping up its digital strategy across its disparate media properties, led by general manager of digital services Guy Gadney.

While Gadney’s role and title remain the same, he now has a dual reporting line to Nine Network boss David Gyngell and joins the ACP senior leadership reporting to ACP Magazines chief executive Scott Lorson.

In his revamped function he will continue to lead PBL’s digital initiatives and is working closely with the ACP and Ninemsn digital, editorial and sales teams. In an internal memo to staff Lorson described the initiatives as an “evolution and enhancement of our digital strategies”.

Despite the decision to abruptly shut Myhome.com.au this month, Lorson was upbeat in his message to staff on the digital frontline.

“Our digital and editorial teams continue to collaborate to produce outstanding work online and on mobile, and we have seen large growth in our digital audiences,” he said.

Recent online activity has included, a revamped Gourmet Traveller site with “new levels of interactivity”, and new look site for Cosmopolitan, while in Asia, www.askcleo.com was launched. Lorson confirmed that within the next fortnight new sites for House and Garden, which soft launched yesterday and for Cleo would be launched. Lorson added that significant progress had also been made with Ninemsn on www.grazia.com.au, which will be live for the magazine launch in August.

Lorson also announced Matthew Stanton as the new CFO for ACP Magazines starting August. He is currently CFO of Bauer Consumer UK, formerly EMAP and the publishers of Grazia, Zoo and Heat.

Sources suggest that the hiring of the UK executive could be indicative of further acquisitions in the market as Stanton was integral to the integration of the EMAP acquisition into the Bauer Group last year.

“He has a tremendous track record of success, highly relevant experience, and is a great fit with our unique and dynamic culture,” Lorson said of

the appointment.

Stanton was in Sydney this week to discuss the hand over process. Current CFO Jeff Proctor will leave ACP in June to take an executive role at Brambles, while Brett Matthews will serve as acting CFO in the interim.

Meanwhile, Ninemsn continues to haemorrhage senior executive staff, with commercial director Jason Scott revealing he will leave the company in July. Scott who is a highly regarded online sales executive is currently looking for new opportunities.

His sudden exit follows a succinct exodus of talented staff over the last six months which includes Jennifer Wilson, the former head of innovation, who was not replaced; Jane O’Connell, the head of content and network innovation who defected to Microsoft Singapore; and marketing director Tony Thomas, who left without a job to go to. Sources within Ninemsn claim that Thomas will also not be replaced.

PBL media sales and marketing manager Joe Pollard, who has been seconded to Ninemsn over the last few months in a consultancy capacity, will assume Scott’s role until a replacement is found.

Sources close to the online company claim that it is also struggling to retain sales staff.

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