Pacific Magazines promotes two editors-in-chief to GM roles
Pacific Media has promoted New Idea editor-in-chief, Louisa Hatfield, to general manager of Entertainment and Family, and also promoted Home Beautiful editor-in-chief, Wendy Moore, to general manager of Homes and Food.
Louisa Hatfield promoted to GM of Entertainment and Family
The management appointments follow on from Pacific Magazines selling off two titles – K-Zone and Total Girl – earlier this month with the sale coinciding with the publisher focusing on six pillars of food, family, home, fashion, beauty and health in a move that echoed that of Bauer Media’s restructure, which has resulted in it focusing on five pillars.
Gereurd Roberts, Pacific Magazines CEO, said: “These general manager appointments have been established to accelerate our strategy of market leadership in key audience categories and to fuel our ambitious ongoing growth plans.
“Louisa is renowned as one of the best media executives in the country, a talented leader with a career spanning newspapers, magazines, digital and TV. Her experience with driving results across different platforms will now allow us to amplify our lead in the high-reach, high-engagement audience categories of Entertainment and Family.
“Wendy’s ability to build brands across platforms and her commercial nous is unrivalled, and we are delighted to appoint her to this new, key role to realise the full potential of the highly-engaged Food and Home category.”
The appointment comes two weeks after Pacific Magazines announced it was selling off K-Zone and Total Girl and relaunching Girlfriend as digital-first.
It also follows on from PacMags’ commercial restructuring which resulted in 11 redundancies.
As general manager of entertainment and family, Hatfield will oversees the publisher’s portfolio of entertainment brands, including New idea, That’s Life! and WHO, along with digital mastheads FamousLive, Practical Parenting, My Wedding, and the relaunch of Girlfriend early next year.
Hatfield is to oversee the re-launch of Girlfriend in 2017
Since June 2014, Hatfield has been the editor-in-chief of New Idea.
She said: “I am so excited to be taking on this vital role. New Idea is already one of Australia’s most powerful cross-platform media brands and together with our other leading Entertainment and Family brands we will continue to deliver quality content, both in real time and through our printed products.
“I look forward to working with some of the most dynamic multi-platform brands, talented editors and passionate teams in the country to drive these incredible businesses to new heights.”
Frances Sheen will step up to take full editorial control of New Idea as Editor.
Frances Sheen has worked at New Idea for five years
Sheen has worked at New Idea for five years, having previously worked at Woman’s Day, New Woman, NW, Heat and Closer.
Hatfield said: “Frances Sheen is a passionate, innovative editor and an inspiring team leader whose drive and flair for great content will take the New Idea brand into a new era.”
As general manager of Homes and Food, Moore will oversee business strategy for Pacific Magazine’s Homes brands, including Better Homes and Gardens and Home Beautiful. Pacific’s portfolio of new digital food brands – Foodiful and AllRecipes will also fall under Moore’s remit.
Wendy Moore is also a judge on Seven’s House Rules
Moore joined Pacific in 2006 as editor of Home Beautiful, having previously worked at Burke’s Backyard and as Associate Publisher Youth Titles at ACP Magazines.
Since, 2001 Moore has also been a judge on Channel Seven’s series House Rules.
She said: “It’s an incredibly exciting time working with such an in-depth stable of editorial talent, with strong and established homes brands sitting side-by side with new digital initiatives like Foodiful and Allrecipes.
“We are in a unique position to take a cohesive approach to connecting with our audiences whilst creating and curating customised, personal content and targeted commercial opportunities for our partners.”
Sarah Burman has worked with Wendy Moore on Home Beautiful for 10 years
Sarah Burman has been appointed as editor of Home Beautiful, after 10 years working with Moore on the brand.
Moore adds: “Sarah’s insight and experience at Home Beautiful and, more broadly, within the Homes category, will allow her to steer the brand to a new level – as we leverage data in more powerful, personalised ways to create new ways to inspire, engage and connect.”
All appointments are effective immediately.
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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