New exec appointments at Foxtel, COO departs.
Chief Operating Officer Euan Smith departs Foxtel as two execs are promoted internally.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under Subscription
Foxtel has promoted two of its senior executives, and announced the departure of Chief Operating Officer Euan Smith, who becomes CEO of Malaysian TV business, Astro.
Les Wigan becomes Executive Director – Operations & Technology, Foxtel Group and Lesley Portwain becomes Chief Customer Service Officer, Foxtel. Both are newly created roles reporting to CEO Patrick Delany.
Foxtel Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Delany said: “Since joining us two years ago, Euan has led a transformation in technology, operations and customer service at Foxtel playing a vital role in our turnaround and helping lay the foundations for our future.
“I understand his desire to take a CEO role and given he commutes once a month to London to be with his family, to be a little closer to home. I want to thank him for his outstanding support and all of us at Foxtel congratulate him on his appointment and wish him well in the role.”
Les Wigan is currently Chief Operating Officer at Kayo Sports. In his new role, he will be responsible for all technology platforms, services and operations across the Group’s Broadcast, Streaming, Enterprise and Studios.
Lesley Portwain is currently Director, Customer Service. She will have responsibility for all Customer journeys from post-sale to point of retention for the Foxtel product.
Patrick Delany said, “I’m pleased to be in a position to promote two talented executives from within the Foxtel Group to newly created roles with responsibility across the Foxtel broadcast and streaming business.”
In addition to these changes, Alice Mascia, Chief Product and Strategy Officer will take on responsibility for Foxtel’s Transformation office.
“We now have an opportunity to bring forward our plans to reset Foxtel’s operating model. This will involve bringing best-in-class digital technology, including that created for the Kayo Sports streaming platform, across the entire Group with the aim of delivering a material improvement in efficiency and customer experience,” said Delany.
4 Responses
The Foxtel loss figure was taken from the Sydney Morning Herald article titled: Sports world on high alert as Foxtel fights for its future. By John McDuling. Dated: May 18 2018.
The words Deck Chairs and Titanic immediately spring to mind whenever I read foxtel news of executive re deployment ..
I suspect the next move may come from Mr. Murdoch as he looks at his News Corp media businesses, it’s unlikely that Foxtel has any immediate buyers or mergers as the cable / satellite TV business is depreciating globally at the moment with the take up of SVOD.
Foxtel is put forward as one of News Corp principal loss makers with a $417 loss before taxes in 2018, so in today’s economic climate it will logically get worst.
Latest full year results are for 2019 – why refer to 2018? Where can we see the Foxtel (loss) results? Newscorp financials give figures for subscription video services, which is their 65% share if Foxtel plus their Australian News Channel business (Sky News).