Ben Shepherd joins Schwartz Media as CEO
After news of his exit from dentsu on Friday, Ben Shepherd has been named the incoming CEO at Schwartz Media, the independent publisher behind The Saturday Paper, The Monthly and 7am podcast.
He takes on the remit left vacant by Rebecca Costello, who moved across to Guardian Australia as general manager in September.
The new role follows Shepherd’s recent run of short stints at Bain & Company, Thinkerbell, CHE Proximity and now dentsu. He has also spent time in senior roles at Omnicom and PwC, and was previously commercial director at youth media brand Sound Alliance (now Junkee) for several years from 2010.
Commenting on his appointment, Shepherd said: “Schwartz Media is home to the most vital, most respected and most enduring media brands we have in Australia, produced by Australia’s most respected voices.”
“To serve the amazingly talented people in the business, its outstanding writers and its loyal and engaged readers, as its CEO, is a privilege.”
Shepherd is set to commence the role in late February, joining Schwartz Media’s senior leadership team alongside deputy chief executive Zoe Featherstone and editor-in-chief Erik Jensen.
Schwartz Media proprietor Morry Schwartz said: “Ben is a sharp, clear-eyed thinker. He understands the media and where it is headed. I have complete confidence that he is the perfect person to lead Schwartz Media into its next phase of growth.”
Schwartz last week stepped down from his role as company chair, taking a break from the day-to-day operations of the publishing business he founded in the 1980s.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald of the decision, he denied it was related to the internal pressures the business had faced over its coverage of the Israel Gaza war.
Shepherd’s departure from dentsu comes less than a year after after he made his return to adland as chief investment officer for dentsu Media at the start of the year. His resignation last week came amid a number of senior redundancies to have been made at the Japanese holding company ahead of Christmas.
Of Shepherd’s exit, dentsu Media boss Danny Bass said in a statement: “We wish Ben all the best in his future endeavours.”
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