News Corp veteran Jerry Harris steps down in latest shake-up of senior management
Jerry Harris
News Corp has announced the departure of executive group director commercial and operations, Jerry Harris, after 34 years with the company.
Harris, who will leave on Friday, said in a statement it was “time to step aside to focus on new challenges”.
“When I joined the company as a classified sales adviser, I had no idea of the journey that lay ahead of me,” he said. “I have been privileged to have been given many wonderful opportunities, and to have worked with some hugely talented executives and editors along the way.
“Now however, it is time for me to step aside and focus on new challenges.”
Harris’s departure is the latest senior level exit at News Corp and comes just days after chief executive Julian Clarke announced he will retire at the end of the year to be replaced by chief operating officer Peter Tonagh.
Sales boss Fiorella Di Santo left at the end of March with public relations chief Adam Suckling announcing his departure earlier this month.
Harris joined News in London in 1981 and worked in a range of advertising sales roles at the Times Newspapers group before being appointed advertising director and subsequently Publisher of the successful British edition of Elle Magazine.
He relocated to Australia in 1991 he has held senior roles including Advertising Director of The Australian, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, managing director of Mirror Australian Telegraph Publications, managing director of Queensland Newspapers and managing director if News Limited’s group newspapers and digital products.
Clarke paid tribute to Harris, describing how he had made a “major contribution to News at the highest levels through his career”.
“Without doubt he would be one of the most experienced media executives in Australia,” he said. “I have worked with Jerry for more than 25 years and I wish him every success in the future. He leaves News with our very best wishes.”
Harris’s career with News was not always plain sailing with his background in print often putting him at odds with former CEO Kim Williams, who had a more digital focus. The two executives were rumoured to often at loggerheads over strategy.
Steve Jones
Jerry changed my career and family life by bringing the Carrolls over to Australia from London. Jerry was a tough man, but always fair. He was smarter than most, but would always listen. Jerry’s special quality is that he always says thank you for a good job done. Steve Carroll, Director of Sales, REA.
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