Seven re-structures top bosses

The Seven Network has made a series of management changes today including a change to Ian Johnson’s 5 year reign as station manager of Seven Melbourne.

Johnson will now become Chairman of Channel Seven Melbourne while the management role is assumed by Peter Lewis also appointed Chief Operating Officer for Seven Media Group.

“Ian is one of the best executives in the business,” said David Leckie. “He’s taking on a new role, one which is designed to put in place the management team and structure that will build on Seven’s success in Melbourne over the past five years. We’ve come a long way since Ian took up the challenge at Seven and I’m pleased that he and I will be working together as we build for Seven’s future.”

James Warburton has been appointed to a newly created role, Chief Sales and Digital Officer of Seven Media Group.

Lewis Martin has been appointed General Manager and Sales Director of Channel Seven Melbourne. Trevor Bird will assume management responsibility for broadcast services at Seven’s network broadcast centre in Melbourne.

Press Release:
The Chief Executive Officer of Seven Media Group, Mr David Leckie, today announced a series of senior management appointments in key divisions of the company and the creation of a management structure which reflects Seven Media Group’s increasing integration across broadcast television with the Seven Network, magazines publishing with Pacific Magazines and online with Yahoo!7.

Announcing the appointments, Mr Leckie said: “We are an integrated media company and today’s management appointments and streamlining of management structures and reporting lines recognises the depth of talent here. The new structure allows us to unleash the power of Seven Media Group and its media businesses.”

Mr James Warburton – currently Network Director of Sales for the Seven Network – has been appointed to a newly created role, Chief Sales and Digital Officer of Seven Media Group. This role will see Mr Warburton responsible for all sales across broadcast television, magazines and online, expanding on Seven Media Group’s current success in cross-platform selling and marketing and leveraging the scale and reach of the company’s market-leading media brands. Mr Kurt Burnette – currently Sydney Sales Director – has been appointed Seven Network Director of Sales and will report to Mr Warburton.

Mr Peter Zavecz continues as Commercial Director for Pacific Magazines and will report to Mr Warburton on matters relating to sales at Pacific Magazines. Ms Jenny Hosie continues as Director of Sales for Yahoo!7. Mr Warburton will continue to be a director on the board of Yahoo!7.

Mr Peter Lewis – currently Seven Media Group and Seven Network Limited Chief Financial Officer – has been appointed Chief Operating Officer for Seven Media Group. Mr Lewis will report to Mr Leckie.

In his expanded role, Mr Lewis will continue to be responsible for the company’s finance functions, information systems and human resources, as well as now assuming management responsibility for the Seven Network’s television stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and the company’s regional television network, Seven Queensland– with the general managers of those stations now reporting to Mr Lewis.

Mr Lewis assumes the station management role from Mr Ian Johnson who – after five successful years as Managing Director of Channel Seven Melbourne – has been appointed Chairman of Channel Seven Melbourne. This new role will see Mr Johnson taking on a leadership role in developing the management team for Channel Seven Melbourne.

Commenting, Mr Leckie said: “Ian is one of the best executives in the business. He’s taking on a new role, one which is designed to put in place the management team and structure that will build on Seven’s success in Melbourne over the past five years. We’ve come a long way since Ian took up the challenge at Seven and I’m pleased that he and I will be working together as we build for Seven’s future.”

Mr Lewis Martin, currently the Seven Network’s Melbourne Sales Director, has been appointed General Manager and Sales Director of Channel Seven Melbourne, responsible for the day-to-day management of the station in addition to his current role as sales director in that market.

Mr Trevor Bird – General Manager, Group Technical Services, will assume management responsibility for broadcast services at Seven’s network broadcast centre in Melbourne. This appointment brings all broadcast engineering services and operations into Mr Bird’s portfolio. Mr Bird will report to Mr Leckie.