Paramount Global appoints Beverley McGarvey as President ANZ
Previously Executive Vice President, Beverley McGarvey now takes on top role in a solo capacity following the departure of Jarrod Villani.
- Published by David Knox
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Paramount Global has appointed Beverley McGarvey as President of Network 10, Head of Streaming and Regional Lead for Australia and New Zealand, effective immediately.
The promotion from an Executive Vice President role comes after Jarrod Villani, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating & Commercial Officer & Regional Lead Paramount ANZ, recently departed the company amid a range of staff cuts.
In her expanded role, McGarvey reports to Pam Kaufman, President & CEO of International Markets, Global Consumer Products and Experiences and will have both commercial and creative leadership of Paramount / 10 in Australia. For Paramount+ she reports to Marco Nobili, EVP and International General Manager of Paramount+.
Kaufman said: “Beverley is one of Australia’s leading media executives and has a proven track record of driving creative and commercial success in one of our most important, priority markets.
“With Beverley at the helm, we are well-positioned to maintain our strong position in Australia as the only global media company with a successful free-to-air network and powerful free and paid streaming platforms, powered by our global content pipeline and our range of originally produced Australian shows.”
McGarvey said: “I am excited to take on this expanded role at such a pivotal time for Paramount’s multi-platform business in Australia.
“I look forward to propelling the Australian business forward and working with the incredible local and international teams, under Pam’s leadership, as we continue to pursue our multi-platform growth strategy, investing in key commercial partnerships and contributing to our global pipeline of content.”
Speaking recently to the Irish Independent, McGarvey reflected on her upbringing in Carnmoney on the outskirts of Belfast and an offer to work at TV3 NZ. After two years as director of programming in Auckland, CanWest hired her at 10 in Sydney.
“It was probably too soon to leave New Zealand but if you get an offer at a network in Sydney, you take it, because they don’t come up very often,” she said.
“I was afraid of leaving Dublin, but taking that risk led me to opportunities that I’ve been lucky enough to have ever since.”
“The level of scrutiny of media executives here, it’s unusual,” she said. “In other markets, trade media might be interested in you, but here, mainstream press want to talk to you too.”
The article noted her rise as the top female exec in Mediaweek’s 100 power list but also raised the question of criticism, referring to ratings stories and press criticism over staff permitted to not work on Australia Day as “divisive,” noting that Jarrod Villani was not mentioned.
“I do speak to our peers in other countries, and they find it quite surprising. I’d like it to stop, I don’t like it. It might be slightly a gender thing,” she conceded.
On International Women’s Day 10 recently noted female news anchors for every bulletin, the only female political editor across the commercial networks, and four out of five of its Executive Editors in our newsrooms as women.
8 Responses
I hope someone high up at Paramount can see these comments.
It’s not just “trade media” interested in execs here. The average viewer has fondness for 10, who have always innovated created outstanding programs. Until now.
Only addressing critisism from trade media is wrong. It’s us. The viewers. The people that want a team that can do better.
If 10 were providing alternate viewing but not rating as high, that would be fine. But it’s not, instead she proudly renews The Bachelor and The Project 5 years past their usefulness.
10 has had 5+ restructures in 5 years. She has had >5 chances to create a team around her that can enable her and lift the quality/share, yet she still can’t turn it around. If 10 were a stand alone public company, she would be answerable to shareholders.
But it’s not, and the US aren’t paying attention. It’s their fault for enabling her, but 10’s woes are 100% local decision making.
The criticism is not a gender thing. It’s performance. That’s a copout.
Quite astounding really. Can anybody give me any positive results from Bevs appointments ? Let’s ad to the list the soccer / football disaster for paramount. Why is being a fourth place network considered a job well done!
Australian media has had a “no kill” policy toward unsuccessful middle management since the mid 1990s. It’s across all platforms.
I wanted to see 10 lift in ratings but they are not. The problem is Beverley is becoming too complacent in terms of her leadership and her management. Jarrod Villani has departed Paramount last month. Paramount ANZ needs to overhaul its leadership and management. So far, She has overseen the news changes (2012, 2014 and 2020) and the failures of other tentpole shows (Game of Games, Gladiators, Cram, just to name a few).
How does someone who runs a network that should be No. 1 with all the resources at it’s disposal but consistently places 3rd or 4th & sometimes even last, manage to not only hold her job but keeps getting promoted.
I thought Paramount may have used this as an opportunity for new leadership. Bev has overseen the failures of:
• Gladiators
• The Real Love Boat
• The Challenge
• The Traitors
• Making It
• Game of Games
• Brain Eisteddfod
• The Bachelors
• Changing Rooms
• Celeb Name Game … and that’s only a handful
And then changed shows up like Studio 10 and The Living Room which accelerated their demise. I completely understand the difficulty in being a programmer but what’s on Bev’s CV? Hunted? Survivor? Thank goodness for the Working Dog team with HYBPA, TGYH and The Cheap Seats!
Because she’s doing such a great job at 10…