ACM managing director Tony Kendall has announced three senior appointments, including Scott McCullough as commercial director of its Agri division.
Lupe Prada has been appointed head of marketing for ACM Agri and Laura Allen as research and insights Manager for Chi Squared.
“ACM Agri is Australia’s premier agricultural media business, and as such, we need industry experts and a depth of experience on our team who can lead, innovate and deliver for our advertising partners,” said ACM managing director, Tony Kendall.
In his newly created role, McCullough will lead the commercial team working across ACM Agri media assets including key mastheads, marketplaces, events, and digital.
McCullough brings more than 25 years of sales and marketing experience to ACM Agri, having led sales, strategy, and commercial operations for some of the nation’s biggest publishers including AuctionsPlus, where he was the general manager for brand and commercial, and News Corp Rural where he was the general manager – News Ag. He has also held innovation and sales director roles at Pacific Magazines, SCA, and ARN and is the founder of the Melbourne Media Industry Hall of Fame, now in its 15th year.
Under her head of marketing role, Prada will work across ACM Agri’s agricultural mastheads, while also leading marketing activity on marketplace projects, joint venture businesses, and events.
Prada is a senior marketing and communications professional with more than 20 years of experience in media strategy, consumer insights, and events. Prada has worked with several brands in the media, marketplace, and lifestyle sectors including Gumtree, CarsGuide, Nine Entertainment, NBCUniversal, as well as Fairfax Events & Life Media.
As research & insights manager, Allen will lead ACM’s agricultural and regional specialist research agency, Chi Squared, delivering a range of research services for clients. Allen has more than 15 years of experience as a quantitative and qualitative researcher, with positions in Australia and London. Laura joined ACM after six years at Crown Resorts where she was the group senior research manager.
The new appointments follow significant growth for ACM Agri, with digital subscribers growing threefold from June 2022 to July 2024 and its multi-platform network reaching an audience of 1.6 million each month.
“Scott, Laura and Lupe’s appointments are part of our commitment to strengthening our commercial, sales, marketing and research divisions. The trio brings best in class experience to ACM Agri – I am confident their deep expertise will give advertisers even more opportunities to unlock our agricultural audience for their brands,” added Kendall.
“Agriculture is a multi-billion-dollar industry; and as Australia’s largest provider of agricultural news and information we connect with 78 per cent of Australian farmers each month. With an extensive and diverse network, spanning print, digital, events, research, new products, partnerships and technology, ACM Agri has the farmer at the centre of everything we do. I’m really looking forward to working with Scott, Lupe and Laura and excited by the expertise they each bring to the team,” said ACM director of marketing, Jarrah Petzold.
All three appointments are effective immediately.