The Guardian’s branded content boss Aaron Michie exits for ABC role
The Guardian’s boss of its branded content division Guardian Labs Aaron Michie has departed after just one year in the role to join public broadcaster the ABC.
Aaron Michie departs The Guardian to join the ABC
He joins the ABC as head of commercial development and according to his LinkedIn profile is responsible for business improvement and innovation, digital/product development and ABC commercial leadership.
Guardian Australia managing director Ian McClelland said: “Aaron successfully helped us to restructure and consolidate Guardian Labs into our client services and commercial operations teams.
“As Guardian Labs director, Aaron oversaw the development of our brand partnerships in our busiest and most productive year to date. We wish Aaron the best of luck in his new role.”
Michie’s role will not be directly replaced with content and display sitting with national digital sales director Tony Bell and brand partnerships director Susie Bayes while The Guardian has created a new delivery team.
For the ABC, the appointment comes nearly two months after managing director Michelle Guthrie unveiled the public broadcaster’s new strategy and transformation program which will see around 150-200 jobs slashed by the end of June.
In March, McClelland told Mumbrella the division had a “scalable network” to better manage its rapidly growing business.
“We’re continuously in production with multiple clients running campaigns,” he said.
“Our challenge over the couple of years has been ‘How do we build a studio that’s flexible enough?’ Because we’re doing articles, we’re doing image based galleries, we’re doing interactives, we’re doing data visualisations, animations, virtual reality.
“It’s just endless, the different formats that we are now creating content for brands in and so how do we create a unit that can manage and be expert at delivering all those different formats?
“And the second thing is, scalability, because we have been inundated with briefs. How do we manage multiple concurrent content series? And I think that’s what has been the challenge. We’re getting close to cracking that, having sort of a scalable network.”
The ABC has been approached for comment.
Miranda Ward worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2017, eventually becoming deputy editor. Miranda joined Mumbrella in September 2013 from Sky News.
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