Postmedia Network shuffles exec team

Former National Post publisher Gordon Fisher is now the paper's president and EVP Eastern Canada, while Kirk Allen will lead national ad sales for all brands and platforms as EVP advertising sales.

By Melita Kuburas
July 15, 2010

Following the official acquisition of the newspaper assets formerly belonging to Canwest LP on Tuesday, Postmedia Network this morning announced several changes to its executive team and the leadership at its flagship paper, the National Post.

Kirk Allen will lead the national sales team as executive VP advertising sales, spearheading all brands and platforms including print, online and mobile. The exec team at Postmedia will pursue a ‘digital first’ business model, according to Paul Godfrey, president and CEO.

The strategic direction in digital, which includes the expansion of the reach of the company’s newspaper and information websites, will be led by Malcolm Kirk, who hails from out west where he was SVP and group publisher of the Prairie region of Canwest LP. Kirk’s new title is EVP digital media, but he will also serve as chair of a special committee undertaking Postmedia Network’s transformation plan.

Gordon Fisher, who was the publisher of the National Post under Canwest LP, will now serve as president of the national paper as well as executive VP Eastern Canada, overseeing operations at the Ottawa Citizen, the Windsor Star, the StarPhoenix in Saskatoon, the Leader-Post in Regina and the Montreal Gazette in Quebec.

Fisher’s old job now belongs to Douglas Kelly, former editor in chief of the National Post who was promoted to publisher. Meanwhile, Stephen Meurice, the Post’s former deputy editor, will step up to the role of EIC. Both Kelly and Meurice have been at the Post since the paper’s inception in 1998.

Other moves announced this morning include that of Kevin Bent, who was president and publisher of the Pacific Newspaper group (the Vancouver Sun, the Province, the Times Colonist) but will now oversee Postmedia’s Alberta properties as president Pacific Newspaper Group and EVP Western Canada. In Alberta, Postmedia owns the Calgary Herald, the Edmonton Journal and a community publishing group.

On the business side of things, Doug Lamb maintains his role as CFO and EVP of Postmedia Network. In addition to finance, he will oversee information technology, human resources and legal departments.

‘I didn’t have to look far to find the best in the business,’ says Godfrey, in a release, as all of the appointments were internal. ‘This group has a strong track record of working together.’