MCN to appoint first chief data officer as part of digital and tech-led c-suite overhaul

Multi-Channel Network (MCN) has revealed plans to appoint a chief data officer following a restructure of its data, technology and commercial executive ranks.

The company is making three new c-suite appointments in a bid to elevate its data, technology and commercial capabilities. These include the promotion of Suzie Blinman to chief commercial and corporate development officer, as well as Angela Goodsir to chief technology and systems operations officer.

Over the past five years, Goodsir has led the development and launch of MCN’s trading platform, Landmark, and previously managed operations and systems development. Her new position sees her unifying and driving MCN’s technology infrastructure and systems including new developments.

A chief data officer is also being recruited for the first time, and is expected to commence in January 2016. All three roles are designed to complement that of MCN’s chief sales and marketing officer, Mark Frain, who oversees all national and state-based sales and marketing functions as well as advertiser-led MCN revenue streams.

The executive shake-up has also seen MCN’s content and brand partnerships area restructured into two teams. Suzie Cardwell will now take up the role of digital partnerships and product development director, while Tania Jones has been appointed content and brand partnerships director with a core focus on television integration.

MCN confirmed previous content and brand partnerships department head, Elizabeth Minogue, will leave the business in December.

In a statement, the company said the two integration teams will work closely and wherever appropriate to develop cross-platform content and integration solutions for advertisers.

MCN CEO, Anthony Fitzgerald, said the new structure is designed to give stakeholders a clear and unified offering in what has become a highly complex media environment.

“While we remain a sales and advertising business at our core, the industry continues to be redefined by technology and data-driven developments,” he said. “We intend to remain at the very forefront of innovation to deliver powerful benefits to Australian advertisers.”

The restructure is the second significant change this year to how MCN, which is owned by Foxtel, operates. In September, the company adopted a new sales and team approach after taking on all of Network Ten’s television, on-demand and digital properties thanks to a deal struck between Network 10 and Foxtel across free-to-air, pay TV and on-demand services.

It was also this deal that saw Frain’s role expand to chief sales and marketing officer nationally.

At the time, Fitzgerald lauded the new structure as the first to align the three worlds of television – free-to-air, subscription and digital video – into a cohesive national presence.

A number of organisations have recently made chief data officer appointments. Myer, for example, appointed its first chief digital and data officer, Mark Cripsey, in August, reporting directly to the CEO, while Suncorp has also brought on a chief data officer to lead its expanded data team, reporting to CMO, Mark Reinke.

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