News Corporation named former Young and Rubicam CEO Hamish McLennan to the position of Executive Vice President, Office of the Chairman. McLennan, who will divide his time between New York and Sydney, will report to News Corporation’s Chairman & CEO Rupert Murdoch as well as to President & COO Chase Carey.
In this newly created role, the company said McLennan will be responsible for developing and enhancing News Corporation’s large-scale, global brand partnerships in order to maximize revenue derived from the company’s deep portfolio of media assets. “McLennan will collaborate closely with senior business leaders across News Corporation to strengthen the Company’s rich and sustainable marketing alliances, and better position its core assets – and their digital extensions – for today’s global marketplace,” declared the announcement.
“As we grow our international footprint we see a real opportunity to bolster the value of our brand partnerships and I am convinced that Hamish’s considerable industry experience, coupled with a unique and wide-ranging strategic vision, make him the right executive to deliver the insights we need to maximize our global media investments,” said Murdoch.
“Around the world, our clients are developing marketing programs that are increasingly targeting consumers globally and on digital platforms. Hamish’s expertise, along with his global media business background, will be invaluable assets as we work to deepen our brand partnerships across the Company,” added Carey
“I am pleased to be joining such an innovative media company and am grateful to Rupert and Chase for their confidence and support,” said McLennan. “We have a unique opportunity to more aggressively position News Corporation’s peerless content businesses and further develop existing – and untapped – global brand relationships.”
Prior to joining News Corporation, McLennan served as Chairman and CEO of advertising giant Young & Rubicam (Y&R), where he led the firm’s global business operations starting in 2006 and delivered the two most profitable years in the company’s history. McLennan was responsible for 6,500 people in 186 offices in 81 countries and, under his leadership, Y&R won such clients such as Goldman Sachs and LG, and was intimately involved in the consolidation of a number of other key clients including Dell and Virgin Atlantic.
