Content and advertising solutions provider Swift Media has appointed former Nine digital sales boss Pippa Leary as CEO.
Leary, who most recently held the role of digital sales director with Nine, will formally join Swift Media in August, replacing outgoing CEO Xavier Kris.
Current director Darren Smorgon has also been appointed Non-Executive Chairman, effective immediately.
Swift says Leary brings a "proven track record of commercial innovation and success" in the digital media space, having spent more than 20 years with Nine and Fairfax Media, as well as several non-executive roles.
“I’m excited about the opportunity Swift Media represents. As a digital out-of-home marketing platform, the fundamentals of Swift are strongly positive," Leary says.
"The team has built a profitable business servicing client with communication and entertainment solutions in the key verticals of mining, aged care, hospitality and health. The recent acquisition of Medical Media has allowed Swift to further diversify its revenue streams and move into adjacent markets.”
Leary was also the former CEO of APEX Advertising, a joint venture between Nine and Fairfax Media. Prior to APEX.
She held the role of MD of the media division at Fairfax Digital where she was responsible for the launch of WA Today, Brisbane Times, The Vine and Business Day.
During her tenure at Fairfax she was also involved in the acquisitions and integrations of RSVP, Stayz, Essential Baby and Weatherzone.
Leary was replaced by former MCN chief sales officer Nick Young, who returned to Nine earlier this year. During her time with Nine, Leary was instrumental in the overall strategy of Nine's for its broadcast video on demand (BVOD) platform 9Now.
Most recently, Leary had helped execute and launch a raft of new ad products and enhancements, including the addition of dynamic ad insertion.
She was also behind further integration with Nine's TV buying platform 9Galaxy, effectively allowing TV and BVOD to be bought in a singular transaction.
According to papers lodged with the ASX, Leary is on a base pay of $365,000, plus superannuation. She is also on an option package, including 500,000 Swift shares exercisable after one year with a strike price of $0.30 per share. Swift shares closed today at $0.16.
Smorgon's pay includes a chairman's fee of $60,000 a year plus share rights of more than 750,000 Swift shares.
Smorgon has been a non-executive director on Swift’s board since February 2019 after having previously served on the board of Medical Media for three years prior to its acquisition by Swift.
Smorgon also spent 16 years at CHAMP Private Equity where he led several deals including the privatisation and subsequent re-listing of Ooh!Media. He is also currently a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee of Ooh!.
"The great foundations built by our outgoing CEO Xavier Kris and the management team give Pippa as incoming CEO a fantastic platform from which to build a new type of media business, focussing in particular on providing quality, targeted content to closed loop environments, and to serve local and national advertising in particular to the health sector," Smorgon says.
Swift in February posted a 20% jump in half year revenue to $12.47 million for a net loss of $756,510.
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