Guardian News & Media may be re-casting its whole self as “digital-first“, but it still has digital-specific leadership.
On Wednesday, the news publisher announced the creation of its first chief digital officer role, a post which appears to give the subject greater corporate prominence.
The recipient is an internal promotion – Tanya Cordrey, who has directed GNM’s digital product development team of over 100 people since May 2011.
paidContent understands GNM had been considering a high-level, digital-specific leadership appointment for some time. Shazam’s executive product VP joined Cordrey’s team as product director in June. Matt McAlister is already digital strategy director for GNM’s parent, Guardian Media Group, and is working on projects including the n0tice local messaging platform.
Cordrey has previously been product director eBay, chief marketer and GM for loans site Zopa and joined GNM to build out its environment editorial output in 2008.
At the same time as Cordrey’s appointment, GNM is taking on former ITV chief marketer David Pemsel, who has been GNM’s interim chief marketing officer, as its chief commercial officer, heading not just marketing but also the whole sales operation.
That comes with executive director Adam Freeman, who had led sales, leaving to form a social advertising start-up, MutualMedia.co, and GNM’s global commercial director Chris Pelekanou leaving to become Clear Channel Outdoor’s commercial director.
The appointments of Cordrey and Pemsel show GNM adopting US-style C-level leadership structure, as is continues expanding in the States and globally.
Disclosure: Guardian News & Media is an investor in our publisher, Giga Omni Media.