‘Australia is one of the toughest markets for magazines in the world’: Bauer’s incoming CEO Brendon Hill and COO Veit Dengler on succession, consolidation and digital growth
Last week Bauer Media announced ANZ CEO Paul Dykzeul was retiring from the role with NZ CEO Brendon Hill to take his place. Mumbrella’s Hannah Blackiston speaks to Hill and visiting Bauer Media Group COO Veit Dengler about the changes, and how the business has evolved since Dykzeul took the helm.
When Paul Dykzeul took the helm of Bauer Media in 2017 he was very vocal about wanting to deliver the business the kick it needed. Entering after Nick Chan’s short 12-month leadership period, Dykzeul told Mumbrella he was keen to do whatever it took to get the business back on track.
Keen to avoid that messy leadership switch again, this time Bauer has focused on succession planning, moving longtime Bauer team member Brendon Hill across from his role as NZ CEO into the Australian business. Bauer Media Group COO Veit Dengler also came over from Germany to help facilitate the change.
While Dykzeul had already given over 20 years to the Bauer business before taking on the leadership role, Hill isn’t far behind. He’s been with the company since 2006, transferring to New Zealand in 2015 after holding the title of publisher in Australia. Hill’s appointment, says Dengler, was the ideal choice for the business and a plan which had been a longtime in the making.
“It’s a great sign if a business leadership team is strong enough that you can do succession from within, that always has to be the objective and it’s a great advantage because we have had time to see Brendon develop and make sure he will be a good fit for the role. That’s the way a succession should ideally work,” says Dengler.
Grabbed a copy of Vogue (not a Bauer title I know) from the guy at Redfern station handing them out for free the other day. Flicking through it on the train, couldn’t help but notice how little actual editorial there was inside. Just full page photos of bizarre looking modeled clothing. I guess it’s cheaper to take a photo than employ a journalist. It’s no surprise they have so few readers and subsequently so little advertising.
I left Bauer a few years ago and never looked back but I loved working with Brendan enough that it made me consider that it could be back in my future, he’s a great leader.