Bauer’s director of sales, Tony Kendall, has been named chief executive of Australian Radio Network (ARN).
ARN’s former CEO Ciaran Davis was recently named chief executive of APN News & Media, when Michael Miller moved across to News Corp.
As chief executive of ARN, Kendall will be responsible for driving the overall strategic direction, growth and operations of the radio business, as well as overseeing the expansion of the iHeartRadio platform in Australia. He will remain with Bauer untill alter this year, with the move to ARN expected in December.
A spokesperson from Bauer told AdNews the publisher is on the hunt for a replacement for Kendall, with both internal and external candidates being considered.
Kendall will report to Davis, with Davis saying of the move: “Tony’s extensive commercial expertise in developing integrated commercial solutions across multiple platforms means he is very well placed to continue ARN’s growth strategies across its portfolio of brands. Tony is well regarded in the industry and has a deep understanding of the rapidly evolving media landscape in which we operate.”
Kendall said it is a fantastic time to be joining APN as ARN continues to strengthen its proposition for advertisers and consumers.
“ARN is an innovative media and entertainment company and the market leader with a large and engaged audience base," Kendall said. "There is huge opportunity for continued growth and I’m looking forward to working with Ciaran and the ARN management team in continuing the business’ momentum in the market.”
Kendall has been at Bauer since early 2013, and previously worked at News Corp Australia where he spent over 23 years in senior commercial management roles in Melbourne, Sydney and New York, including a year as the CEO of the Australian magazine division.
While Kendall has no previous radio experience, his appointment at ARN points to the company's focus on its multichannel strategy. Speaking to AdNews earlier in the year, Davis said he saw ARN's iHeartRadio service as a “content marketing platform” rather than a streaming service, and noted it would be investing further in its potential this year.
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