NZME editor-in-chief Murray Kirkness joins the company's executive. Photo / Michael Craig
NZME editor-in-chief Murray Kirkness joins the company's executive. Photo / Michael Craig
NZME is overhauling its executive team, including the return of the company’s editor-in-chief to the top table and the resignation of its chief commercial officer.
The company’s executive team will increase from eight to 11 roles with editor-in-chief (chief content officer) Murray Kirkness and others joining the executive, effective immediately.
Kirkness’ elevation will ease concerns within some quarters of the NZME newsroom that the top editorial role has not been part of NZME’s top-level team for more than two years.
Alongside Kirkness on the executive will be other new appointees, including chief operating officer Matt Wilson and chief information officer Kate MacDiarmid.
Essentially, the three will now fulfil the duties, at exec level, of departing chief digital and publishing officer Carolyn Luey, who announced last month that she will leave in June to join Contact Energy as chief retail officer.
Outgoing NZME chief digital and publishing officer Carolyn Luey.
“All three are fantastic operators with a huge amount of experience in their chosen fields - their input will be invaluable,” chief executive Michael Boggs said in an email to staff today.
Boggs has been approached for comment.
At the same time, he also announced the resignation of NZME chief commercial officer James Butcher.
Butcher would take a short break “before focusing on new opportunities”.
NZME chief executive Michael Boggs. Photo / Michael Craig
Luey and Butcher had made an “immense contribution” to NZME, Boggs said.
“James joined NZME in 2021 as head of digital audio where he did an excellent job growing our digital audio business across iHeartRadio and our NZME podcast network, before joining the exec as chief commercial officer in February last year.”
Butcher’s role on the executive - no easy task at a time when media companies face tough economic challenges - will also be split.
He will be replaced by two people - Greg McCrea as the chief commercial officer - agency, and Renata Hayward as the chief commercial officer - direct.
“I’m really excited about these changes and the injection of new skills, ideas and expertise at the exec level,” Boggs told staff in his email.
“I know Murray, Katie, Matt, Greg and Renata will all bring fresh perspectives and we’re well-positioned to continue to execute on our strategic priorities, accelerating growth across all areas of our business.”
Outgoing NZME chief commercial officer James Butcher. Photo / File
The executive changes come less than a month before NZME’s critical annual shareholders’ meeting, where shareholder and businessman Jim Grenon is seeking a board overhaul.
He has been critical of the company’s operational and financial performance, and wants to see improvements in the company’s editorial endeavours.
The promotion of the editor-in-chief role to the executive was a policy point made by one of Grenon’s board nominees, Philip Crump, in a blog post last month.
Crump is a board member of NZ on Air and a Waitangi Tribunal member.
He was also the launch editor of the ZB Plus platform in the NZME newsroom from September 2023 and he said it was clear from his time at the media company the “downgrading of editorial leadership was not taken well by staff”.
“This reinstatement would ensure that editorial perspectives are embedded in the company’s strategic decisions, fostering a culture where journalism is not just a product measured by clicks but a public good.”
NZME has not responded to questions about Crump’s assertions.
The full new-look NZME executive team will be chief executive Michael Boggs, chief financial officer David Mackrell, OneRoof chief Greg Hornblow, chief audio officer Jason Winstanley, chief marketing officer Katie Mills, chief people officer Chris Wallace, chief content officer (editor-in-chief) Murray Kirkness, chief information officer Kate MacDiarmid, chief operating officer Matt Wilson, chief commercial officer - agency Greg McCrea, chief commercial officer - retail Renata Hayward. Luey and Butcher will remain on the executive until they leave the company.
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.
