Mi9 COO Marc Barnett to depart after just five months in the role
The chief operating officer of Nine Entertainment’s digital division Mi9, Marc Barnett, is to depart the role after just five months.
The news of Barnett’s departure comes on the same day as Fairfax and Mi9 moved to launch its mobile exchange which Barnett is to chair.
Barnett told Mumbrella: “For me the premium exchange is something I have been passionate about for the past two and half years and I have been really focused and committed to getting that up.
“I will continue to represent Mi9’s interests in APEX and I think now is the right time to consider what my next options are and look for the next opportunity.”
Barnett has been with the company since 2011, first heading up its advertising exchange and then as commercial director for what was then a joint venture between Nine and Microsoft.
In June of this year, Barnett was promoted to the role of COO, shortly before CEO Mark Britt announced his departure to join the Catcha Group as CEO of iflix Ltd, a new SVOD business.
He was replaced by RateCity CEO Alex Parsons, with several key members of staff departing the publisher in recent months.
Barnett said he would be looking for new roles in the industry and “continue to stay focused on the cutting edge innovation side of the industry”.
He added: “What I’m proudest of is the people, the culture the team that we managed to build. I spent eight years across Ninemsn and Microsoft and when I came back from my time in Singapore we brought the MMN business into Mi9 and that was the start of the building of the culture in the team and I think what I’m proud of is the people we have brought in and developed up and through.”
Nic Christensen
Even Barnett doesn’t have faith in APEX
User ID not verified.
What a dumb and short sighted comment. There is clearly a changing of the guard there since the NEC full acquisition.
User ID not verified.
The Ch9 chaps clearly taking full control of that business – first Britt Goes, then Barnett…
User ID not verified.
Good luck Mark in your new role.
Cheers
Rob
User ID not verified.
Surely the first of many. When you’re attached to a dinosaur as a digital business, it can only mean a changing of the guard. Digital natives get ground down by the $ of old media.
User ID not verified.
APEX has no USP. When the other major publishers said no, what benefit does this partnership possibly pretend to offer marketers?
User ID not verified.