News Corp Australia has announced its executive group director commercial and operations, Jerry Harris, has decided to leave the company after 34 years of service.
News Corp Australia CEO Julian Clarke, who recently announced his retirement from the company, paid tribute to Mr Harris: “Jerry has made a major contribution to News at the highest levels through his career. Without doubt he would be one of the most experienced media executives in Australia,” he said.
Harris joined the company in London in 1981. He worked in a range of advertising sales roles at the Times Newspapers group before being appointed advertising director and subsequently publisher of the successful British edition of Elle Magazine.
Since moving to Australia in 1991 he has held senior roles including advertising director of The Australian, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, managing director of Mirror Australian Telegraph Publications, managing director of Queensland Newspapers and also managing director group newspapers and digital products, News Limited.
In his years in Brisbane Harris oversaw significant growth in the Queensland operations including the conversion of The Courier-Mail from broadsheet to tabloid, the launch of Qweekend and the expansion of Queensland’s major print site at Murarrie.
Harris said: “When I joined the company as a classified sales adviser, I had no idea of the journey that lay ahead of me. I have been privileged to have been given many wonderful opportunities, and to have worked with some hugely talented executives and editors along the way. Now however, it is time for me to step aside and focus on new challenges.”
Clarke said “I have worked with Jerry for more than 25 years and I wish him every success in the future. He leaves News with our very best wishes.”
Harris will leave the company next Friday.
