Southern Cross Media Group is set to appoint former Western Australian premier Mark McGowan and former Google executive Karen Stocks as independent non-executive directors, with both appointments taking effect from 28 September.
The appointments will total Southern Cross Media’s board to eight directors, including six independent non-executive directors.
McGowan brings government and regulatory experience, as well as a strong connection to Western Australia, while Stocks brings three decades of experience across technology, data and audience measurement.
The appointments follow a board search focused on strengthening its capabilities in government and regulation, technology, data and audience measurement.
Southern Cross Media chair Ryan Stokes said the pair would add capabilities relevant to the company’s next phase.
“Mark and Karen each bring capability that strengthens this Board for the next phase of the Company,” Stokes said.
McGowan served as Western Australian premier from 2017 to 2023 and will bring his government and regulatory experience to the board.
He said Southern Cross Media had a strong presence across both metropolitan and regional Australia.
“Southern Cross Media reaches deep into Australian life, across the major cities and across regional Australia,” McGowan said. “In Western Australia its mastheads and stations are part of how the State talks to itself. I am looking forward to contributing to this Board.”
Stocks has spent much of her career across media measurement, data and technology, most recently leading Google’s global measurement work through a period of regulatory and privacy change.
She said Southern Cross Media’s scale across television, audio and publishing presented an opportunity to build out its digital, adtech and data capabilities.
“As we roll out next-generation digital platforms, ad-tech, and data solutions for our customers and audiences, I look forward to working with the Board and management to unlock the full value of our combined ecosystem,” Stocks said.
Both McGowan and Stocks will stand for election by shareholders at Southern Cross Media’s annual general meeting in November.
