ACM brings in former News Corp and ARN sales boss Tony Kendall for commercial review
Australian Community Media has appointed Tony Kendall, to conduct a review of the business’ sales operations.
The consultancy is one of the first major moves since Nine sold ACM to former Domain CEO Antony Catalano and Thorney Investment Group in July.
The ACM network includes daily titles such as The Canberra Times, Newcastle Herald and The Examiner in Launceston, as well as agriculture media titles including The Land and Queensland Country Life.
Kendall will review the entire scope of ACM’s sales division, across national, local and digital, in the role, and make suggestions for how the group can improve the commercial model.
Kendall has experience in print, digital, outdoor and radio
ACM was purchased from Nine earlier this year, after the Nine/Fairfax merger brought the regional news business into its possession. Catalano and Thorney Investment Group, headed up by Alex Waislitz, paid $115m for the 160-plus regional mastheads.
ACM managing director Allen Williams said review would seek to sharpen and build on existing strengths and capabilities in sales by examining operations, structure, skills and resourcing.
“To deliver outstanding results for our business we must first deliver outstanding results for our customers,” Williams said. To do that, we need integrated and high-performing sales teams.
“Tony’s wide connections and extensive knowledge of the advertising and marketing industry in Australia will be an invaluable addition to our business.”
Kendall joins with extensive experience in the Australian media industry, spending 23 years in sales at News Corp before joining Bauer Media in 2013. He then moved to take on the role of CEO at Australian Radio Network, before moving sideways into the chief revenue officer role at parent group APN News and Media.
Kendall stayed with the business through the rebrand into HT&E – Here, There & Everywhere – but a round of redundancies after it sold its out-of-home business Adshel to Ooh Media in 2018 saw Kendall get the chop in January 2019.
In a note to ACM staff, Mr Williams said Mr Kendall would report to him and be based at the company’s North Sydney office.
Let me think…
– restructure sales renumeration
– reporting lines for managers
– streamline sales processes
– higher budgets
– rename existing products
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I can add a thought…
– a free spell-checker as part of the remuneration package
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