NZME announces changes to Executive Leadership Team

NEWS RELEASE – 5 August 2021

NZME announces changes to Executive Leadership Team

New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME) has today announced two changes to its Executive Leadership team with Chief Digital Officer Laura Maxwell resigning from the business and former Executive Carolyn Luey returning to NZME in a newly created role of Chief Digital and Publishing Officer.

The creation of the new Chief Digital and Publishing Officer reflects the evolution of NZME’s Executive Leadership team to support the ongoing acceleration of sustainable growth across its strategic priorities.

Confirming the changes today NZME CEO Michael Boggs thanked Maxwell for her contribution to the ongoing success of NZME.

“Laura’s digital expertise across product development, her rich understanding of the value of data, digital audiences, and digital monetisation has been instrumental in the successful build and delivery of NZME’s initiatives,” said Boggs.

Maxwell joined The Radio Network in 2013 and was appointed as Chief Commercial Officer in 2015 when NZME was launched.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the people in the teams I’ve had the privilege to lead. After 8 years and the countless initiatives that I’ve helped deliver, the time is right to move on to the next phase of my career,” said Maxwell.

Maxwell has previously led the OneRoof business and currently leads NZME’s digital marketplace GrabOne.

“Laura was also instrumental in ensuring NZME had the technical infrastructure in place to deliver its digital news subscription service New Zealand Herald Premium. Thanks to its world class content and the seamless user experience, from its launch in 2019, Premium has gone from strength to strength,” said Boggs.

“I’m incredibly proud of all that I’ve achieved at NZME over the years. The business was really in its digital infancy when I joined. Now, I can comfortably say NZME is a sophisticated, digitally focused business with data at its very core,” said Maxwell.

As NZME’s new Chief Digital and Publishing Officer Carolyn Luey will be responsible for delivering a sustainable growth strategy for its publishing business.

“Publishing growth is inextricably linked to the ongoing development and success driven by NZME’s digital strategy,” said Boggs.

“With extensive experience as a strategic business leader in large New Zealand telecommunications, technology and media companies, Carolyn brings a wealth of knowledge and understanding of how best NZME can deliver growing digital audience engagement for our commercial partners,” said Boggs.

After 5 years at NZME, Luey left as Chief Operating Officer in December 2016. She then went on to senior transformational roles at MYOB and Vodafone where she was Chief Consumer Officer.

“My focus had always been about creating positive and sustainable change by leveraging the best of digital to create amazing experiences for customers,” said Luey.

“Across its publishing division NZME already creates extraordinary content and in volume. I’m really excited at the challenge of delivering new innovative strategies to connect even more New Zealanders with this world class content to support NZME’s audience and revenue growth, said Luey.

Carolyn Luey will start at NZME on Monday 9^th August.

Laura Maxwell will leave NZME later in 2021.

 ENDS

For further information please contact:

Cliff Joiner

GM Communications

New Zealand Media and Entertainment

+64212709995

cliff.joiner@nzme.co.nz