Pacific announced two new senior management appointments with Louisa Hatfield named as general manager, entertainment and family and Wendy Moore as general manager, homes and food.
Gereurd Roberts, CEO, Pacific, commented: “These General Manager appointments have been established to accelerate our strategy of market leadership in key audience categories and to fuel our ambitious ongoing growth plans.
“Louisa is renowned as one of the best media executives in the country, a talented leader with a career spanning newspapers, magazines, digital and TV. Her experience driving results across different platforms will now allow us to amplify our lead in the high reach, high engagement audience categories of Entertainment and Family.
“Wendy’s ability to build brands across platforms and commercial nous is unrivalled, and we are delighted to appoint her to this new, key role to realise the full potential of the highly engaged Food and Home category.”
As general manager, entertainment and family, Hatfield will oversee the country’s strongest portfolio of entertainment brands including New Idea, that’s life! and WHO, along with mobile-first digital destinations, FamousLIVE, Practical Parenting, My Wedding and the relaunch of Girlfriend in early 2017.
Since June 2014, Louisa has been the editor-in-chief of New Idea. Louisa moved into magazines in 1998 and rose through the ranks of ACP Magazines (now Bauer Media) to become Associate Publisher of Woman’s Day, TV Week, Take 5 and NW. At News Corp she relaunched the Sunday Telegraph’s Sunday magazine, before moving to the Nine Network as Executive Producer of Mornings for three years.
Hatfield said: “I am so excited to be taking on this vital role. New Idea is already one of Australia’s most powerful cross-platform media brands and together with our other leading Entertainment and Family brands we will continue to deliver quality content, both in real time and through our printed products.
“I look forward to working with some of the most dynamic multi-platform brands, talented editors and passionate teams in the country to drive these incredible businesses to new heights.”
Frances Sheen will step up to take full editorial control of New Idea as Editor. Frances has worked at New Idea for five years, having previously worked at Woman’s Day, New Woman, NW, Heat and Closer. Louisa adds: “Frances Sheen is a passionate, innovative editor and an inspiring team leader whose drive and flair for great content will take the New Idea brand into a new era.”
As General Manager, Homes and Food, Wendy Moore will oversee business strategy for Pacific’s market leading homes brands, including Better Homes and Gardens – the country’s most read magazine – together with premium interior style brand Home Beautiful. Pacific’s portfolio of new digital food brands – Foodiful and AllRecipes will also fall under Moore’s remit.
Moore joined Pacific in 2006 as editor of Home Beautiful, having previously worked at Burke’s Backyard and as Associate Publisher Youth Titles at ACP Magazines. Since, 2001 Wendy has been a Judge on Channel Seven’s series House Rules – Australia’s biggest renovation show. During Wendy’s ten year tenure, Home Beautiful sales have experienced sustained growth from around 65,000 to more than 82,000 added to a soaring social and digital footprint to cement itself as the country’s leading interiors style brand.
Moore said: “It’s an incredibly exciting time working with such an in-depth stable of editorial talent, with strong and established homes brands sitting side-by side with new digital initiatives like Foodiful and Allrecipes. “We are in a unique position to take a cohesive approach to connecting with our audiences whilst creating and curating customised, personal content and targeted commercial opportunities for our partners.”
Sarah Burman has been appointed as editor of Home Beautiful, after 10 years working with Wendy Moore on the brand. Moore added: “Sarah’s insight and experience at Home Beautiful and more broadly within the homes category will allow her to steer the brand to a new level – as we leverage data in more powerful, personalised ways to create new ways to inspire, engage and connect.”
All appointments are effective immediately.
