Fairfax Media’s CMO Michael Laxton to exit
Michael Laxton, chief marketing officer at Fairfax Media, will leave the business, Mumbrella can reveal.
Laxton first joined Fairfax Media in 2014, where he took on the role of director of digital marketing and SEO for news publishing, Life Media and Fairfax events.
Laxton joined Fairfax Media in 2014
Shortly afterwards, Laxton was appointed director of customer marketing and growth for the metro titles – The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review.
Last year, he was appointed as chief marketing officer.
Laxton had previously worked in a number of online and customer relationship management (CRM) roles across General Pants, Warner Music Group and Virgin.
In an internal note seen by Mubrella, Fairfax Media’s managing director for Fairfax Metro Publishing, Chris Janz, said the company would miss Laxton’s “energetic approach”.
“Metro’s CMO Michael Laxton has decided to take on a new challenge and will leave the business next month,” Janz wrote.
“Over the past four years, Michael has been instrumental in growing our digital subscriber base and revenues, repositioning our hero mastheads and transforming our marketing efforts. We will miss his energetic approach and wish him the very best with his next career move.”
Janz said a permanent director would be appointed in due course, but to ensure continued subscriptions progress, David Eisman, Australian Metro Publishing’s chief of staff, had been appointed interim director of subscriptions and growth.
Laxton’s team will report into Eisman.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s decision on Nine’s proposed takeover of Fairfax is due in November.
The publishers and media brands need more than anything – people who get brand and the power of being a brand led business in these CMO roles. They are hard to find.
User ID not verified.
A smart operator. Best of luck, Michael.
User ID not verified.
A fantastic guy and excellent operator. Best of luck Michael!
User ID not verified.
What a legend. To survive so long in such a tumultuous business…..hats off my friend!
User ID not verified.