Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has appointed a UK digital expert, Absolute Radio's founder and chief operating officer Clive Dickens, to the newly created role of director of digital and innovation.
Dickens will start in his new role in the Autumn period.
He has also held senior roles as group head of programmes at Capital RadiPLC, director at UK RadioPlayer Limited and co-founder and content director at Jack FM Oxfordshire.
He has also been an advisor to a range of digital start-ups including Shazam.
Southern Cross Austero chief executive Rhys Holleran said: ““Our business continues to see extraordinary growth across its digital platforms and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have Clive’s expertise on board in this ever-evolving space. Yet another outstanding addition to our incredibly talented senior management group.”
Dickens said: ““With over 30 years commercial radio experience in over 30 countries I am now thrilled to be joining SCA – one of the leading media companies in the Asia Pacific region, and a business that I have long admired.”
"The potential for growth in the Australian and wider Asia Pacific digital economy with SCA ensures this role is the opportunity of a lifetime. I can't wait to start working with some of the most talented broadcast teams, who are creating some of the most iconic digital and audio content in the world.”
SCA experienced mutliple setbacks on the online front last year due to social media backlashes against the company. This occurred firstly at the onset of the year after Kyle Sandilands called a News Limited journalist a “fat slag” on air, and at the close of the year when a prank call tragically led to the death of a nurse in London.
A SCA spokesperson said Dickens was not brought in to help the company deal with these types of online situations, arguing this was largely the responsibility of the communications team.
She stressed he had been brought on board to handle “overarching strategy” rather than as a reaction to anything, saying his focus will ne on "innovation and driving the business forward in the ever-evolving digital space".
“This role has been in the works for a long time,” she said.
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