The local media equivalent of China Watchers will be keeping a close eye on who takes the job of chief executive at Stuff.
The position becomes vacant with the move by Laura Maxwell to take over News Corp’s Queensland operations.
The role of CEO in a one of our main media companies is significant in its own right but the next appointment could well have additional impact.
It may point to the future direction in which owner Sinead Boucher wishes to see the company go.
If the appointment is internal, the signal it sends will likely be ‘steady as she goes’. However, the identity of an external appointment could give clues to a strategic shift.
Stuff’s ultimate owner is Kenepuru Holdings, whose sole shareholder is Boucher. As a private company, Stuff does not have the same disclosure requirements as a listed company like NZME. Hence, we only know about Stuff’s plans if Boucher chooses to make a public comment.
However, if the new CEO is an external appointment, that person’s background may be a strong indicator of where Boucher wishes to take the company. Depending on that background, it may also indicate where the owner’s thinking may be going in terms of capital structure and business sectors. Continue reading “More to a name than meets the eye”
