APN News & Media has hired News Limited's regional director for New South Wales (NSW) Michael Miller as its new chief executive to steer the business into less choppy waters after a chaotic period for company during which its chairman, CEO and three directors were ousted.
Miller is currently News Limited's regional director for NSW. He has held senior executive roles at the company since 1997 and has been a director since 2004. He is also director for companies including Waratahs Rugby, CarsGuide.com.au, The Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) and the Committee for Sydney. He was previously director of Fox Sports Australia.
The company announced the appointment via a statement on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) this morning. Chairman Peter Cosgrove said in a statement Miller was "well placed to lead APN as his broad media experience in senior hands-on operational roles is precisely what the company needs".
Cosgrove added APN was currently focused on "re-engineering" its publishing operations in Australia and New Zealand and expanding its digital business to work more closely with its publishing operations. "[We are also] creating new products and Michael is the right person to lead this process," he said.
Miller - who will earn a base salary of $1.2 million per annum - said the opportunity was "too good to pass up". He will commence his new role in mid June.
The appointment follows a time of major change for the company. Chairman Peter Hunt, chief executive and managing director Brett Chenoweth and directors Melinda Conrad, John Harvey and John Maasland all left the firm in February this year. The exits were generated by a disagreement over capital raising with the company major shareholder, Independent News & Media (INM).
APN also shed its chief development officer Matt Crocket and regional media chief executive Warren Bright in April when it announced a restructure. Crocket was responsible for online brands such as BrandsExclusive and GrabOne. APN said the changes would see it break up its business development office in a bid to "simplify the management" of its online brands. It replaced Bright with former group operations and procurement director Neil Monaghan.
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