Are Media appoints Sally Eagle as CEO as Jane Huxley steps down

Are Media has named Sally Eagle as CEO, with current chief executive Jane Huxley set to step down after five years in the role.

The leadership transition will take effect from early April, with Eagle moving up from her current position as director of content.

Huxley has led the publisher through a period of transformation, repositioning the business as a multiplatform content company across print, digital, events and social. Prior to joining Are Media, she spent more than three and a half years at Spotify, first as managing director for Australia and New Zealand and later as regional director for EMEA.

“Jane has led the business during a formative period, during which time Are Media established its identity as the pre-eminent media platform for women in Australia and New Zealand,” Are Media chairman Ben Hawter said. 

"The transformation under Jane’s leadership has been significant. Early in the journey was the acquisition of the industry’s sole distribution platform, now Are Direct, bringing distribution security for both Are Media and the broader industry.”

Hawter added that the company had also streamlined its brand portfolio and invested in systems, digital platforms and people capability to support future growth.

Eagle has been with the business 16 years and has held a range of roles across the business, including publisher of books and customer director, where she led retail relationships with major partners and newsagents.

“Sally brings to the CEO role a unique blend of people leadership, commercial acumen, customer insights and a deep understanding of consumer engagement,” Hawter said.

“The board is thrilled to be able to make an internal appointment and looks forward to working with Sally and the executive team as we continue the growth and development of Are Media.”