ARN’s New Zealand radio network TRN has announced the appointment of Jane Hastings as the Company’s new Chief Executive Officer after a long and exhaustive search.
She joins TRN from Amalgamated Holdings Limited where she was the General Manager, Entertainment, overseeing the largest exhibition business across New Zealand and Australia, and has a brief to lead the network to a more multi-platform focus.
Hastings has commercial and media experience from her time as Group General Manager of Marketing and Sales at Skycity Entertainment Group. Her career has also taken her overseas as Managing Director at Tequila Asia Pacific based in Singapore, Regional Director of Integrated Marketing Services at Draftworldwide Japan, Regional Director of Customer Relationship Management at Wunderman Cato Johnson in Singapore and Director of Communications at ICLP in Hong Kong.
“We are thrilled that Jane is joining The Radio Network as the new Chief Executive Officer” said Ciaran Davis, Group CEO of Radio, Australian Radio Network (ARN).
“This appointment follows an extensive search to find a high calibre CEO capable of leading TRN into the future. Jane has the ability and desire to work with the Board and staff at TRN to build a more competitive core business, and with her extensive media and business transformation skills we look forward to leading TRN into a new era.”
Hastings is excited by the challenge of leading one of New Zealand’s premium media brands to even greater success: “I feel that radio is perfectly positioned to take advantage of changing listener habits and TRN will lead the transition in the New Zealand marketplace to a dynamic, multi-platform business.”
She will take up her role at TRN on Monday 24th September 2012.
TRN is a subsidiary of ARN and is a joint venture between APN News & Media and Clear Channel operating a total of 7 networks across New Zealand.
TRN’s flagship news station, Newstalk ZB, is the No. 1 network holding the largest 10+ audience share. It also operates three of the top five national networks across New Zealand.
Meanwhile, ARN’s parent company APN, has received a ‘please explain’ note form the stock exchange asking it to account for a sudden 10 cent drop in its share price. APN says it does not know of any confidential information that has not yet been revealed to the market that could explain the sudden dramatic change:
“At the Company’s Annual General Meeting on 2 May 2012 it was stated that “assuming current market conditions continue, APN’s overall NPAT (pre Exceptional Items) for the half is expected to be behind last year by approximately $3 million”. This remains the Company’s position.”