Fox Sports Australia chief executive officer becomes the new CEO of Foxtel as the two organisation merge
Fox Sports Australia chief executive officer, Patrick Delany,is the new CEO of Foxtel, effective immediately.
Delany, who has led Fox Sports Australia since 2011, replaces Peter Tonagh, who has led the Foxtel business during its merger negotiations with the sports broadcasting business.
A former lawyer with Australian law firm Gilbert & Tobin, Delaney began his career in television in 1998 at Southern Star Entertainment where he relaunched the Lifestyle Channel, Channel [V], Music Max, and The Weather Channel for the Foxtel and Austar platforms.
In 2002, Patrick was appointed as director of digital at Foxtel. In 2005, he was appointed as executive director of content, product and delivery at Foxtel, where he introduced product and service innovations including Foxtel iQ, Mobile Foxtel, Foxtel On Demand, HD, 3D, Foxtel on Xbox and Foxtel on T-box services, as well as Foxtel’s availability on Virgin Airlines.
During his seven years at Fox Sports, Delaney has significantly increased audience, profitability, expanded the digital footprint and overseen the introduction of new technologies and approaches, including in-play cricket helmet cameras in 2012 and user-generated content into live broadcasts.
Delany praised Tonagh for his contribution to building the Foxtel business and said he was delighted to now lead the company.
“Peter leaves a great foundation at Foxtel. It has extraordinary assets, great people and a deep subscriber base. I’m excited by opportunities at both Foxtel and Fox Sports to give consumers something better, different and special,” Delany said in a statement.
News Corp chief executive, Robert Thomson, also thanked Tonagh for his service to Foxtel, News Corp Australia, and REA Group during years of great change and challenge in the media marketplace.
“There is no question Peter Tonagh has been a thoughtful, far-sighted leader and his positive influence will resonate for many years to come,” Thomson said.
“Patrick’s astute and innovative leadership of Fox Sports, combined with his broad experience during his nine years at Foxtel, make him the ideal person to take the helm at such a profoundly important moment for Foxtel.”
Fox Sports Australia will be led by Peter Campbell in his current capacity as chief operating officer.
The appointment comes after Foxtel appointed Andy Lark as CMO earlier in January to oversee brand, content, customer management, acquisitions, digital and product management, as the pay TV operator looks to bring together its Foxtel and Fox Sports properties into a single sports and entertainment player.
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