APN News & Media, whose publications include the New Zealand Herald and Wairarapa Times-Age, has appointed News Ltd's Michael Miller as chief executive, effective from mid-June.
Miller, who has been with Rupert Murdoch-controlled News Ltd since 1997, is its regional director for New South Wales, and has experience in New Zealand, sitting on the board of pay-TV operator Sky Network Television for a decade until News sold its stake this year. "We are currently focused on re-engineering our publishing operations in Australia and New Zealand, expanding our digital business to interact more closely with the publishing operations, as well as creating new products, and Michael is the right person to lead this process," chairman Peter Cosgrove said. The appointment ends a rapid shake-up at the media group, where most of the board and previous chief executive Brett Chenoweth were squeezed out by major shareholders Independent News & Media and Allan Gray Australia over a proposed capital raising. Last week, APN told shareholders the bulk of its target savings this year would come from its New Zealand business, where major restructuring had been completed in outsourcing editorial and advertising production, the centralisation of advertising sales and editorial content, and the sale of titles. BusinessDesk
