Paul Anderson, left, moved into a bigger remit with ViacomCBS in January
He will not be directly replaced, with Beverley McGarvey promoted to become chief content officer and Executive Vice President (EVP) across combined operations.
Anderson has been with Ten for 17 years and in the CEO role for almost five. He moved into the expanded role with ViacomCBS in January, expanding his position to include the title of executive vice president for ViacomCBS Networks Australia and New Zealand, giving him control over the company’s other TV assets in the region.
The new role included Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Comedy Central and MTV, as well as a range of associated businesses.
Anderson’s promotion followed the merger between Viacom and CBS Corporation which occurred in December 2019. CBS acquired Ten in November 2017. The business is currently in the process of ending its sales relationship with Foxtel Media, with Rod Prosser, Ten’s chief sales officer, to oversee both Ten and ViacomCBS’ sales team. The partnership will end by mid-April.
In a statement, ViacomCBS said it would not be appointing a direct replacement for Anderson, but would appoint ‘co-leads’ for the business. That includes the promotion of McGarvey to chief content officer and executive vice president across the whole business. McGarvey is already the chief content officer for Ten.
Anderson’s resignation is effective immediately, but he has agreed to stay in his role in the interim as the company ‘transitions to a new management’.
ViacomCBS plans to introduce a new management structure for Australia and New Zealand, with the new co-leads reporting to President of VCNI’s operations in Australia and the UK, Maria Kyriacou. The business also ‘reorganised’ its team in January, moving Viacom Australia general manager, Ben Richardson, to report in to Anderson as General Manager (GM), Senior Vice President (SVP), ViacomCBS Pay Networks and Ten business development.
In this restructure, Kyriacou assumed a new position atop the business in the UK and ANZ, with Anderson reporting directly to her. An announcement from ViacomCBS CEO David Lynn at the time said the business was very impressed with Anderson’s work at Ten.
“The progress that Ten has made under Paul’s leadership in strengthening its schedules, rebranding its portfolio and accelerating its streaming strategy has been impressive,” Lynn said.
ViacomCBS is now on the hunt for a co-lead to work alongside McGarvey who will be responsible for all content and creative activities in ANZ. The new co-lead will head up commercial activities and operations.
McGarvey has been appointed as one of the ‘co-leads’ of ViacomCBS and Ten in Australia
In the interim, Henriette Rothschild has been appointed as chief transformation officer. Rothschild is a partner at the advisory and investment firm KordaMentha and brings experience as chief operating officer at iSelect and regional managing director of the global management consulting firm Hay Group.
Regarding the departure, Kyriacou said: “I would like to thank Paul for his leadership of Network Ten; it is a credit to him and his team that the business has continued to compete and evolve despite the inevitable distractions that have come with recent changes in ownership. I’m grateful for the ongoing support he has offered me to help the business transition to a new management team and structure.
“Beverley is an experienced creative leader with a great track record of serving local audiences. She shares my excitement about the extra dimension that ViacomCBS’s ownership can bring to our business in Australia and I’m looking forward to working with her, Henriette and the rest of the senior leadership team to realise those benefits.
“The appointment of Henriette reflects the work we are undertaking to ensure the merged Network Ten and ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand businesses are well positioned for the future.”
Anderson said: “The past 17 years at Network Ten have been the best years of my professional life. I have worked with some extraordinary people – both in front of and behind the camera – and have been given some amazing opportunities. Now it’s time for me to try something different and eventually look for new opportunities and experiences.
“Thanks to the hard work, passion and professionalism of everyone at Network Ten, and now as part of ViacomCBS, the business is extremely well placed for the future. The combination of Network Ten and ViacomCBS is a real game-changer in the Australian market, creating a unique and powerful media group that owns some of the most innovative entertainment and media brands locally and globally.
“I’m very excited about the future of Network Ten and about what the future holds for me and my family.”
Anderson joined Ten in 2003. He was appointed chief financial officer in 2011 and took on the additional role of chief operating officer in 2014. He was appointed CEO in July 2015.
NickALive! wishes Paul all the best in all his future endeavours.
From The Age:
Ten boss Paul Anderson exits
Network Ten chief executive Paul Anderson is leaving the free-to-air broadcaster despite a promotion by US parent company ViacomCBS only three months ago.
Mr Anderson, who has led the network since 2015 and worked at Ten for 17 years, will not be directly replaced. Instead ViacomCBS, which also owns brands MTV and Nickelodeon, has appointed two local co-leads for its Australian business: Ten's existing chief content officer Beverley McGarvey, who will serve in a similar role; and Henriette Rothschild, partner at restructuring firm KordaMentha, who will join as interim chief transformation officer.
They will both report to Maria Kyriacou, president of ViacomCBS' operations in Australia and the UK, while Mr Anderson will help the business transition. The move blindsided the media industry after ViacomCBS elevated Mr Anderson to an expanded role in January.
"This is my decision," Mr Anderson told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. "I've had an amazing experience here. The change that we've had ... has given me experience that I would never have got through any MBA or in any other company. I look back on that with a lot of fondness."
Ms McGarvey, who currently leads Ten's content arm, said she felt privileged to lead part of the local ViacomCBS business.
"To have the opportunity to play a more meaningful role in a company with bigger scale and relevance is really exciting," Ms McGarvey said. "I feel very privileged and flattered to have the opportunity to do that.
“[I will lead] all of the content and creative pieces of the business in this market and those businesses have strong leadership already. It will be about how we maximise those assets across all our platforms."
Mr Anderson, who first joined Ten in 2003, was appointed chief financial officer in 2011 and then chief operating officer in 2014. He was named chief executive the following year, replacing Hamish McLennan. Mr Anderson led the business through a tumultuous five years.
In 2017, the business fell into voluntary administration after former billionaire shareholders Lachlan Murdoch, James Packer and WIN Corp owner Bruce Gordon failed to guarantee a new $250 million loan. The business was bought later that year by its largest creditor CBS Studios International, now known as ViacomCBS. In that period Ten also lost the rights to one of its biggest sports, the Big Bash League, which Seven West Media recently attempted to sell back to the network.
Mr Anderson said he is leaving the business, which runs shows including MasterChef Australia, The Bachelor and Australian Survivor, in a good position.
"The way that it's being structured is actually really smart and it's a contemporary way of running an integrated global media business," Mr Anderson said. "The combination of the performance of Ten in the last year in particular plus being part of a global company really positions us very differently from anyone else in the Australian media landscape."
Mr Anderson said the appointment of KordaMentha's Ms Rothschild to her interim role was important as the business planned for an integrated future with its parent company. KordaMentha was the firm appointed as the voluntary administrators of Ten back in 2017 and is known for its ability to restructure businesses.
"We've had a long relationship with them post the administration," Mr Anderson said. "They have been invaluable in terms of acting as advisors to us and they understand our business and industry intimately and it's a great way of us bridging the gap before we fill this new role.
Ms Kyriacou thanked Mr Anderson for his leadership. "I’m grateful for the ongoing support he has offered me to help the business transition to a new management team and structure," she said.
“[Beverley] shares my excitement about the extra dimension that ViacomCBS’s ownership can bring to our business in Australia. The appointment of Henriette reflects the work we are undertaking to ensure the merged Network 10 and ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand businesses are well positioned for the future.”
Mr Anderson's resignation came a week after chief operating officer Annabelle Herd announced her exit from the business after 16 years.
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From B&T:
Paul Anderson Exits Role As 10 CEO
Network 10’s CEO Paul Anderson has resigned from the role, effective immediately.
Anderson has agreed to stay in his role in the interim to help oversee the company’s transition to new management.
He has also left his role as head of ViacomCBS Networks, a role he was only recently promoted to.
As part of the ViacomCBS and 10 merger, Anderson’s role will not be replaced, but rather two co-lead positions will be responsible for the combined ViacomCBS brands in Australia and New Zealand, including Network 10, Nickelodeon, Nick Jnr. and MTV.
Both co-leads will report to Maria Kyriacou, President of VCNI’s operations in Australia and the UK.
Beverley McGarvey, who is currently chief content officer for Network 10, has been promoted to the new role of chief content officer and EVP, ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand, giving her responsibility for all content and creative activities related to the company’s networks and digital properties in Australia and New Zealand.
ViacomCBS will also recruit a co-lead who will have oversight of all the combined company’s commercial activities and operations in both markets.
The company has also appointed Henriette Rothschild as interim chief transformation officer. Rothschild is a partner at the advisory and investment firm KordaMentha and brings to the role experience as chief operating officer at iSelect and regional managing director of the global management consulting firm Hay Group.
Kyriacou commented: “Network 10 has performed very well this year, with 11 consecutive weeks of audience share growth. We want to build on that momentum, while at the same time leveraging the powerful ViacomCBS brands and assets from both a content and revenue perspective.
“I would like to thank Paul for his leadership of Network 10; it is a credit to him and his team that the business has continued to compete and evolve despite the inevitable distractions that have come with recent changes in ownership. I’m grateful for the ongoing support he has offered me to help the business transition to a new management team and structure.”
She added: “Beverley is an experienced creative leader with a great track record of serving local audiences. She shares my excitement about the extra dimension that ViacomCBS’s ownership can bring to our business in Australia and I’m looking forward to working with her, Henriette and the rest of the senior leadership team to realise those benefits.
“The appointment of Henriette reflects the work we are undertaking to ensure the merged Network 10 and ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand businesses are well positioned for the future.”
Anderson commented: “The past 17 years at Network 10 have been the best years of my professional life. I have worked with some extraordinary people – both in front of and behind the camera – and have been given some amazing opportunities. Now it’s time for me to try something different and eventually look for new opportunities and experiences.
“Thanks to the hard work, passion and professionalism of everyone at Network 10, and now as part of ViacomCBS, the business is extremely well placed for the future. The combination of Network 10 and ViacomCBS is a real game-changer in the Australian market, creating a unique and powerful media group that owns some of the most innovative entertainment and media brands locally and globally.
“I’m very excited about the future of Network 10 and about what the future holds for me and my family.”
Anderson joined Network 10 in 2003. He was appointed CFO in 2011 and took on the additional role of COO in 2014. He was appointed CEO in July 2015 and steered the company through its acquisition by CBS Studios International, which was completed in November 2017.
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More Nick: Nickelodeon Upfront 2020 Roundup!
Original source: Mumbrella.
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