Schwartz Media names new CEO as Ben Shepherd steps down
Less than a year after joining Schwartz Media, chief executive officer Ben Shepherd has resigned, and a new boss has been named.
On Friday afternoon, the independent media company – which publishes The Monthly, the 7am podcast, The Saturday Paper, and Australian Foreign Affairs – announced editor-in-chief, Erik Jensen, will replace Shepherd in the CEO role.
Shepherd joined the publisher in December last year after exiting dentsu, where he was the chief investment officer for the holdco’s media agency. He took on the remit at Schwartz Media left vacant by Rebecca Costello, who moved across to Guardian Australia as general manager in September.
His departure marks another short stint in his career, with his recent run at Bain & Company, Thinkerbell, CHE Proximity, as well as dentsu. He has also spent time in senior roles at Omnicom and PwC, and was previously commercial director at youth media brand Sound Alliance (now Junkee) for several years from 2010.
“I have appreciated the opportunity to lead a business that is committed to the sustainability and support of independent public interest journalism,” Shepherd said.
“I am proud of the progress made this year and have full confidence Erik Jensen will continue to increase the positive impact Schwartz Media and its brands have on Australian readers and listeners. He has been an exemplary editor and journalist for over a decade and will make an equally strong chief executive.”
Jensen was the founding editor of Schwartz Media’s The Saturday Paper and 7am, and has been in the media company’s leadership team for the past 12 years.
He will work closely with Schwartz Media’s founder, Morry Schwartz, to build the company into its next phase of growth.
Schwartz said: “Erik and I started talking about him taking over as chief executive when we began looking to fill the role last year. He has a natural feel for the company and intimately understands what makes it a success.
“He brings to business the same qualities he brings to journalism: huge drive and ambition, immense clarity in dealing with complex problems, and the ability to cut through to the centre of an issue.
“I thank Ben for his work with the company and look forward to working with Erik as we steward Schwartz Media to even greater heights.
Erik Jensen
Jensen, who is an award-winning journalist, biographer, screenwriter, and poet, is also an author, having published several books including Acute Misfortune: The Life and Death of Adam Cullen, On Kate Jennings, and a collection of political writing, Angry at Breakfast.
He said it is an honour to “run the company that supports journalism”.
“Schwartz Media produces some of the strongest journalism in this country,” he said.
“I’ve worked in newspapers and magazines since I was 15 and I’ve seen good decisions and bad ones. I’m firm in the belief that strong journalism needs to be backed by a strong business – and that the success of a company such as Schwartz Media lies in its commitment to quality.”
Jensen will remain as editor-in-chief as well as taking on the chief executive role.
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Lauren McNamara was the associate editor at Mumbrella. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS. She left Mumbrella in August 2025.
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Seriously how many jobs has this guys left in less than a year?!
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Posts a lot of interesting stuff on LinkedIn.
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Which company will Ben do his regular 12 month stint next?
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