Sky TV chief media and data officer Lauren Quaintance.
Sky is reshuffling executive roles, with the resignation of one top leader and the arrival of another.
One of Sky TV’s top executives is departing the media firm after playing a leading role in the $1 acquisition of Three (TV3) and Three Now, while another highly regarded media leader is joining the firm’s top table.
Chief media and data officer Lauren Quaintance says the timing is right to leave SkyTV after two and a half years – the former journalist and senior editor now has a portfolio of board roles, including as a director of the Crusaders rugby franchise and Turners Automotive, and as chair of ChristchurchNZ.
Quaintance has played a pivotal role at Sky in leading a big strategic play to generate more advertising revenue, alongside the pay-TV operator’s traditional subscription income.
She also played a key role in Sky’s acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery’s free-to-air Three and digital streaming platform Three Now, for $1, last month.
Several hours after Quaintance’s news, Sky announced on Wednesday afternoon that Three’s New Zealand boss, Juliet Peterson, would join the company’s executive team, in the newly created role of chief business officer.
Peterson - who carried the official title of head of networks New Zealand and Australia for Warner Bros Discovery - will be responsible for Sky’s advertising revenue generation and B2B (business-to-business) activities, including the new Sky Free channels (including Three).
Quaintance says Sky is primed for further growth.
“I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity I was given at Sky to reimmerse myself in Aotearoa New Zealand, in a listed business after two decades offshore,” said the former Metro editor, North & South senior writer and Fairfax (now Stuff) senior editor.
“As someone who is passionate about the importance of local media, the Discovery NZ deal is a career highlight, but it’s also a natural juncture for me personally.
“With a growing portfolio of board roles and a desire to split my time between Sydney and the South Island, this feels like the right moment to step away.”
Quaintance, who has also held senior media roles in Australia, will finish at Sky at the end of August but will remain with the company in a strategic capacity, “supporting the integration of Sky Free” until January.
Sky chief executive Sophie Moloney said Quaintance had made an “exceptional contribution” to the company, “including reinvigorating our advertising strategy”.
“It was particularly special for the team to be awarded sales team of the year at the recent Beacon Awards.
“Lauren’s vision for expanding Sky’s advertising capability and market share was a key driver in our strategic acquisition of Discovery NZ. I am grateful for her insights, expertise and enterprise leadership since early 2023 ...”
Moloney said she was delighted to welcome Peterson.
“Her many years of experience in the New Zealand free-to-air market are highly valuable as we look to maximise the potential of our new Sky Free business, which has positioned Sky to scale faster and to grow and further diversify our revenue streams, particularly in advertising and digital.”
She reiterated that Sky and Sky Free would operate as standalone businesses “while we work through a careful integration programme”.
“As well as continuing to lead all aspects of the Sky Free business during this time, Juliet will provide leadership across our advertising and B2B teams on both sides of the business from 1 September 2025.”
Peterson said Sky’s acquisition was an “incredible opportunity to deliver scale, diversified audiences”.
“I feel very privileged to have the chance to deliver to the potential of this growth area. I’m a true believer in the power of creating and curating local television platforms that deliver what New Zealand viewers want to watch...”
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.
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