Former Foxtel Group chief commercial and content officer and Binge managing director Amanda Laing has joined Nine in the newly created role of streaming and broadcast managing director, overseeing Stan, 9Now, broadcast television, and radio.
It comes four months after Laing departed Foxtel, having started at the company not long after Fox Sports Australia’s merger with Foxtel in 2018. During her tenure, she guided the company through the launch of Kayo, Binge, Flash, and Hubbl, led content and acquisition negotiations with US studios, and supported the business as a leading executive in its sports rights deals.
She now forms part of a new executive team at Nine, which has updated its operating model into three consumer-focused divisions – streaming and broadcast, publishing, and marketplaces.
The publishing division, led by managing director Tory Maguire, will be expanded to include nine.com.au alongside The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Australian Financial Review.
Alex Parsons will oversee marketplaces in addition to his chief digital officer role and James Boyce will take on the role of director of regulatory, public affairs, and communications. Boyce from Paramount (Australia and New Zealand), where he was head of government and regulatory affairs.
Nine acting CEO Matt Stanton, who will oversee an eight-member executive team as part of the reset, said the new operating model was designed to “help accelerate the strategic transformation underway at Nine by improving how the different parts of the business work together”.
“Our new approach will better position the business to manage the challenging external environment and ensure the company is future-fit to sustainably deliver for our consumers, partners, shareholders, and people,” he said.
“Aligned with the greater accountability that flows from resetting the operating model, I’m pleased to unveil a new and focused executive team to lead Nine through its next phase of growth. The appointment of Amanda, one of the top media executives in the country, will add extraordinary industry expertise and energy to Nine’s experienced executive team in 2025 while James will sharpen the group’s focus on the evolving regulatory landscape.”
Stan CEO Martin Kugeler, who took over the top job from Mike Sneesby in 2022, has reportedly been made redundant as part of the restructure, along with chief marketing officer Liana Dubois.
According to Nine Newspapers, Laing will assume her new role before the end of the financial year.
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