American media boss announced as new CEO at Future
An American media executive has been unveiled as the next chief executive of Bath-based publisher Future.
The company has announced that Jon Steinberg will take over from the current incumbent Zillah Byng-Thorne in April.
The appointment is a clear statement of intent from the company which is best known as magazine publisher. In recent years the focus has shifted more towards the digital products and the US markets.
Byng-Thorne, who announced her intention to stand down last September will remain available to support Steinberg over a two-month transition period to ensure a smooth handover.
Steinberg is an experienced media executive, with a track record of innovation, scaling media groups and creating value.
Most recently, he was the president of Altice USA’s News & Advertising Division, which includes News 12, i24NEWS, Cheddar News, and Altice USA’s a4 Advertising unit.
Steinberg joined Altice through the sale of Cheddar News, a digital-first innovative news company, which he founded in 2016.
Before that he was the chief executive of DailyMail.com North America, having joined from BuzzFeed where he was president and chief operating officer.
His early career included working at Google, as well as the consultancy Booz Allen Hamilton.
Steinberg is currently a senior adviser to The Raine Group, where he advises media portfolio companies on strategy and go-to-market execution, a role which he will step down from before he joins the group.
He is also a non-executive director of The City, a New York City non-profit focused on the coverage of local government.
Richard Huntingford, chair, said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Jon following a comprehensive search process.
“Jon has highly valuable expertise and has developed a fantastic track record, combining entrepreneurialism with leadership at some of the very best digital and media organisations operating at scale.
“He is a charismatic leader with a deep understanding and passion for media, particularly how technology, creativity and innovation can be harnessed to accelerate growth and build significant value for stakeholders. As we look to further extend Future’s leadership, particularly in the US, Jon is a natural fit.
“On behalf of the Board and all of Future I would like to thank Zillah for the exceptional role she has played for almost a decade. Through her leadership, Future has transformed beyond recognition, from a loss-making magazine publisher into a leading digital media platform of 250 brands reaching one in three adults online in the US and UK, and delivering market-leading returns for our investors in the process.”
Jon Steinberg said: “I am delighted to be joining Future. It is a business that I’ve followed closely and long admired for the way it has redefined the media playbook, marrying the best of editorial and technology.
“I look forward to working with the Board and the leadership team to build on the success achieved under Zillah’s tenure.”
Zillah Byng-Thorne said: “Leading Future has been a true privilege. It is a job and a company that I have loved, working alongside incredibly talented teams focused on staying true to the evolving needs and desires of the audiences we serve. I will continue to be a firm supporter of the business and am confident that Future, under Jon’s leadership, will go from strength to strength.”
