Fairfax NZ renamed Stuff, new CEO appointed

New Stuff chief executive Sinead Boucher. Photo / Supplied

Fairfax Media's New Zealand division today announced it is renaming as Stuff and appointed Sinead Boucher as chief executive.

Fairfax chief executive Greg Hywood said the renaming recognises Stuff's local brand strength.

Boucher was previously Fairfax's group executive editor for four years and prior to that was part of them team which developed the Stuff website.

​"Sinead​ ​has​ ​established​ ​herself​ ​as​ ​an​ ​impressive​ ​force​ ​in modern​ ​media.​ ​She​ ​steps​ ​into​ ​the​ ​CEO​ ​role​ ​having​ ​had​ ​a​ ​long​ ​and​ ​distinguished​ ​career​ ​in traditional​ ​and​ ​digital​ ​media," Hywood said.

"Sinead​ ​has​ ​done​ ​an​ ​outstanding​ ​job​ ​leading​ ​our​ ​journalism​ ​in​ ​New​ ​Zealand​ ​over​ ​the​ ​past  decade,"​ ​Hywood​ ​said.​ ​"She​ ​has​ ​been​ ​a​ ​driving​ ​force​ ​in​ ​lifting​ ​the​ ​digital​ ​skills,​ ​capability​ ​and​ ​focus  of​ ​our​ ​newsrooms,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​turbocharging​ ​digital,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​going​ ​from​ ​strength​ ​to​ ​strength."

Sinead Boucher takes over from Simon Tong who resigned a week before the final decision on the proposed merger between NZME and Fairfax New Zealand which the Commerce Commission declined.

Both companies are now challenging its ruling in the High Court.

In their notice of appeal to the High Court, NZME and Fairfax said the commission had failed to take into account, or give sufficient weight to, the number, variety and nature of other small and large, local and international media organisations that provide online New Zealand news.

The appeal also says the commission wasn't allowed to take plurality into account in rejecting their application, and that even if it could, it gave the issue too much weight.

Tong joined Fairfax in 2013 and took up an executive role with ASB following his resignation.