Fairfax appoints digital sales boss Ed Harrison as new metro commercial director
Fairfax Media has continued its wholesale restructuring with another senior player from the company’s former standalone digital operation promoted to a leadership role within the company’s new metro division.
Ed Harrison has been named as commercial director of the metro division after having held the same role at Fairfax Digital. The boss of Fairfax Digital Jack Matthews was appointed CEO of the metro division – which includes the print and online editions of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age – in February.
Harrison’s appointment by Matthews means that the two most senior commercial people in Fairfax’s metro division have no previous experience of working in the newspaper industry.
Matthews came up through the techology and TV industry including a stint as CEO of Showtime. Harrison began his carer with four years as a sales exec at Britain’s biggest magazine publisher IPC before spending three years with TDI Advertising and seven years with outdoor company JC Decaux prior to joining Fairfax Digital.
According to the announcement: “Ed’s new role will now oversee agency and major client relationships and trade marketing across the metro media group, including The Sydney Morning Herald print and digital teams and magazines.”
Matthews said: “Ed hit the ground running when he entered the digital space at Fairfax Digital in 2008, revitalising the organisation and realigning the products and sales operations. There is no doubt that Ed is the right choice to realign and invigorate the new metro media sales division”
Meanwhile, David Hoath, previously sales and marketing director at The Age, has been moved into the role of chief operating officer for Melbourne Publishing
David Skelton, previously business and operations director in Melbourne, has been appointed director of business planning and operations.
Glen Burge, formerly editor of the AFR, has been appointed director of editorial planning and process.
Darren Burden, formerly director of news and platforms at Fairfax Digital, has been appointed GM – News for digital publishing.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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Expect to see print ads in the SMH and Age sold on a ‘Cost Per Action’ basis in the future rather than CPM … that’ll put the nail in the coffin of their print ad revenues!!
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yep right CPW….as opposed a cost per ‘this pisses me off’ for on line ads
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Congratulations Ed !
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