Val Morgan Digital hires Urban List alumni as Thrillist editor
Val Morgan Digital has hired Urban List editor Ben Tyers to lead Thrillist Australia, three weeks after announcing the food, drink, and travel site would launch in the local market early next year.
Thrillist, which targets millennials and Gen Z, has already found success in the US, with an Australian monthly unique reach of 458,000. As editor of the Australian iteration, Tyers will be charged with growing the local brand from its infancy, further adding to Val Morgan’s cinema and out of home presence.
“I’m confident that local readers will love our unique and diverse stories that champion the best places to eat and drink, the bucket list travels destinations and events that will help us get back to some normality,” Tyers, who spent four and a half years at Urban List, said.
Editor-in-chief, Helen Hollyman, added that establishing a local presence will “offer more Australians the chance to try something new, led by content they will love”.
Val Morgan Digital is launching Thrillist – founded in New York in 2004 – via a partnership with US company Group Nine Media. The title joins entertainment news sites Fandom and The Latch within the Val Morgan Digital stable. Managing director of Val Morgan Digital, Brian Florido, noted that “with Ben now on board as editor, we’re that step closer to launching Thrillist Australia”.
“We have plenty of first-to market initiatives ready to go and we’re excited to unveil these in early 2021,” he said.
Managing director Brian Florido
“We’re confident the content will deliver something new for consumers, while offering brand partners the chance to further amplify digital campaigns across various platforms and screens.”
In October, Val Morgan Digital made four new hires, and last month appointed 10 Daily’s former lifestyle editor, Valentina Todoroska, as The Latch’s acting editor while Amanda Bardas is on maternity leave.
A week ago, the company launched an Adidas campaign, and announced it secured a large format tender at Sydney retail destination, World Square.
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Brittney Rigby was Mumbrella's deputy managing editor - news and analysis. She left Mumbrella in April 2021.
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