Foxtel COO Rohan Lund to leave business as network seeks ‘flatter executive structure’
Rohan Lund
Foxtel chief operating officer Rohan Lund is to leave the business as the pay-TV operator moves towards a “flatter executive structure”.
Lund joined Foxtel from Seven West Media in late 2013 to overhaul the network but his own role of COO has now been deemed obsolete with the position to be split between various business divisions.
“Therefore, Rohan has decided to leave Foxtel and look for opportunities elsewhere,” Foxtel chief executive Richard Freudenstein said in a statement.
“Fortunately, Rohan has agreed to remain with the business until September to see through the remaining phase of the programs he has led and to help me with the transition into the new structure.”
Freudenstein said the shake-up follows a period of “unprecedented change” which has seen Foxtel introduce a new pricing and packaging structure, launch products such as broadband and iQ3 and establish Presto Entertainment with joint venture partner Seven West Media.
“As we move from launch of these new businesses and initiatives to the consolidation and growth phase, it has become apparent that we need to put in place a flatter executive structure by appointing senior executives to take direct responsibility for them,” he said.
“At the same time management of Presto Entertainment has moved to the joint venture, which now has its own board and management structure.
“In recent discussions with current COO, Rohan Lund, we have agreed that the group structure no longer requires the COO position and that his role should now be split between different business divisions.”
Freudenstein praised Lund for “building an outstanding team and driving a new energy and direction through his organisation”.
The new structure, which begins in September, will see the responsibilities of the COO split between the existing CFO division, a new broadband division and a newly created department looking at product and operations.
Foxtel has named Andrew Lorken as executive director of broadband, a former senior partner at Accenture where he worked with NBN Co on their transformation program for all of their non-information technology programs, including construction, network operations, and commercial and business operations.
He has also held senior consulting roles with Telstra, Vodafone and US-based AT&T.
The management reshuffle will also see the return of Moritz von Hauenschild, who was Foxtel’s head of product development from 2002 to 2007.
He will re-join in September as executive director, product and operations and will have responsibility for product, wholesale and operations. von Hauenschild will also sit on the Presto Entertainment Board.
Since leaving Australia in 2007, Moritz worked as a partner for private equity firm BC Partners, where he was responsible for all media and entertainment investments globally.
Prior to Foxtel, Moritz worked for six years for the Boston Consulting Group, primarily consulting to media companies in Germany, Brazil, the U.S. and Australia.
Steve Jones
Foxtel could hire Reed Hastings and Sean Parker, Presto is still in a world of hurt.
User ID not verified.