ARN has appointed Nine Entertainment’s former Chief Sales Officer, Michael Stephenson, as the company’s Chief Operating Officer, a newly created position in the company.
Stephenson left Nine last week.
He joins ARN Media with a career in media spanning almost three decades and has consistently demonstrated his ability to identify and capitalise on emerging market trends and drive profitable business growth.
In his most recent role as Chief Sales Officer at Nine, Stephenson was responsible for the development and implementation of the company’s ‘Total Media’ strategy across its Total Television, Total Publishing and Total Audio assets. He led the full integration of all commercial teams following the Nine/Fairfax/Macquarie Radio mergers in 2018 and was a key player in the development of VOZ and VOZ streaming to create an advanced trading currency for Total Television.
As COO at ARN Media, Michael Stephenson “will be responsible for leading the delivery of the company’s commercial strategy and operations focused on accelerating digital innovation, enhancing operational efficiencies, and fostering a commercial culture of excellence and creativity,” according to a release from ARN.
His leadership will be “instrumental in positioning ARN Media for sustained growth in the rapidly evolving audio landscape.”
Stephenson says he is looking forward to working with ARN because it has “the biggest stars and the biggest brands. Their commitment to innovation, coupled with their bold vision for the future of audio, is incredibly exciting and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
ARN CEO Ciaran Davis has told radioinfo: “Michael’s leadership style and extensive experience make him the ideal candidate to join our executive team as COO. His deep relationships with Australia’s top advertisers, proven ability to drive share of advertising, and entrepreneurial approach to foster a collaborative, creative, and inclusive work environment align perfectly with ARN Media’s mission to transform audio entertainment in Australia. Michael will play a key role in advancing our strategic priorities and generating exceptional value for our clients and our shareholders.”
Stephenson will join ARN’s executive leadership team in the first quarter of next year.