ACP’s Louise Barrett named as new Ten sales director
In one of the Australian media market’s major moves of the year, Louise Barrett, director of sales at ACP Magazines, is to become national sales director of Network Ten.
Barrett will move into the role in January, Ten has announced.
She will report in to chief sales officer Barry O’Brien. There was no immediate word from Ten on whether national sales manager Kylie Rogers will report in to O’Brien or Barrett.
O’Brien said in a statement: “Louise is the most highly respected sales director in the market. She has remarkable rapport with clients and agencies, and hiring her is an absolute coup for Ten.
“With the appointment of Louise and the return of our National Sales Manager, Kylie Rogers, from maternity leave in the new year, we will have a very formidable senior Sales team at Ten.”
Barrett’s previous experience includes roles at radio station 2UE, Macquarie Radio Network, PBL Media. She was also director of Nine Entertainment Co’s cross-media division Powered.
Nine Entertainment Co agreed to sell ACP to Bauer earlier this month.
Barrett’s arrival early next year will not be the only major senior starter. On Wednesday, GPY&R brands boss Russel Howcroft was confirmed as the network’s new GM, to start in February.
She said in the Ten statement: “I am thrilled to be joining the senior management team at Network Ten. I am truly passionate about television, having started my career in television, and I strongly believe that television and its many digital offerings will remain the dominant medium in Australian media in the years to come.”
Barrett’s arrival will come at a vital time for Ten. The network has seen wholesale changes within its senior ranks since the arrival of new boss James Warburton at the start of the year. Recent months saw a number of new Australian shows fail to fire in the ratings, drastically reducing the network’s share of the free to air audience. The network is now relying on fast tracked new US shows in the coming weeks to get it back in the game as media agencies and advertisers make their plans for 2013.
Barrett’s move sets her up as a likely successor to the top sales role. Former PHD CEO Barry O’Brien took the chief sales officer role at Ten in June following the abrupt departure of Mike Morrison after just six weeks. O’Brien said that he had signed up for a two year stint.
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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If anyone can help turn them around, Bulldog Barrett can! You go girl.
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A lot of recent appointments in the sales team, but bugger all happening in programming. What good is a crack sales team if you’re losing $30 million with every ratings point?
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Lou is an amazing sales professional. Shw will have a huge impact over there and will drive a revenue outcome for them. A great addition to the TEN team and will deliver (edited by Mumbrella). She’s a ‘doer’. Good luck Lou
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