Former NewsLifeMedia CEO Nicole Sheffield will now head News Corp’s new business arm, News Digital Networks Australia (News DNA).
The move could confirm News Corp and NewsLifeMedia are set to merge, with the publishing arm now being left without a CEO, alongside a number of senior management changes on both sides.
AdNews understands the NewsLifeMedia CEO role will not be replaced. NewsLifeMedia will continue to report to Sheffield along with all her current reporting lines.
News DNA will offer the market a single point of contact for the publisher’s commercial partners to connect with audience groups, explained News Corp boss Michael Miller.
In the role, Sheffield will be responsible for implementing News Corp’s company-wide commercial digital strategy.
Miller says: “With the continued rapid evolution of information technology and new ways of meeting consumer needs, News needs to have a senior executive with oversight of our digital commercial strategy.”
In a statement, News says Sheffield’s initial focus will be working on business strategies and with News Corp teams to build an “aligned, network focus”.
The shift follows a number of changes within News Corp, with chief operating officer for NewsLifeMedia, Robin Parkes, exiting the business earlier this month.
Another surprise exit came from Sharb Farjami, former CCO of News Corp. He’d been in the CCO role for seven months, but prior to that had been News Corp Australia's director of national sales for more than two years.
The Australian recently tipped that both Sheffield and Pacific Magazines CEO, Peter Zavecz, were set for jobs at News Corp. Now Sheffield's move has been confirmed, Zavecz could follow.
News Corp declined to comment on the merger.
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