Rogers Media has hired a director of content strategy, bringing Derek DeCloet to the company in the new role.
Derek DeCloet comes to Rogers Media from his most recent job at the Globe and Mail, where he has worked since 2003, leaving the company with the title of editor of Report on Business.
With his expected start date at the media co coming at the end of next week, DeCloet says his new role will focus on providing vision and leadership to Rogers Media’s consumer titles, guiding the shift towards a multi-platform model. He says his experience at the Globe, where he worked as a member of the team developing content for its Globe Unlimited paywall program, has helped him to prepare for the role at Rogers.
DeCloet will report to Steve Maich, SVP and GM of publishing at Rogers Media.
“I have known Derek for 13 years, ever since we were both reporters with the National Post,” says Maich. “Throughout that time I have come to respect Derek, not only as one of the sharpest journalists I’ve ever worked with, but also a strategic business thinker, a natural leader and a genuinely good person. We’ve got an opportunity to redefine our magazine business over the next few years. We have lot of work to do, and Derek will be a very valuable part of our team as we undertake that work.”
In addition to adding DeCloet’s role to the company, Rogers Media has also made some changes to the publishers handling each of the consumer magazines.
Penny Hicks is now the group publisher for women’s service, which includes Chatelaine, Today’s Parent and Canadian Health & Lifestyle. Melissa Ahlstrand is now the group publisher for fashion and beauty, which includes Flare, Hello! Canada and Cosmetics.
Sandra Parente, who currently works as publisher of MoneySense, will become the group publisher of Rogers’ current affairs group of titles, which includes Maclean’s and Sportsnet.
Ian Portsmouth, who currently oversees Canadian Business and Profit will add MoneySense to his portfolio, becoming the group publisher of the business division on March 17.
Sophie Banford has been named the group publisher of the Quebec-based women’s titles, overseeing magazines including LouLou and Chȃtelaine. Banford comes to Rogers Media from TVA where she worked as publisher of Clin d’Oeil and Moi & Cie.
“Our strategy is really focused on collaborating with our partners in television, radio and digital to create new products and reach new audiences with our brands,” says Maich of moving to the group publisher model. “I felt that having single-title publishers wasn’t conducive to the kind of collaboration we need to make that strategy work. We need leaders focused long-term strategic goals, rather than individual magazine results. I think this structure puts us in the best position to embrace digital platforms and transform the way we think about what a magazine is and how it speaks to customers.”
