The Economist Group, a global media and information services company, today announced that it has hired two digital leaders to its executive team. Michael Fleshman joins the company as The Economist Group’s Chief Technology Officer and Liz Goulding joins as Chief Product Officer for The Economist and Economist Impact. Both will report to The Economist Group Chief Executive Officer, Lara Boro.
“I am delighted to welcome Liz and Michael to the senior leadership team,” said Boro. “Technology is a central driver of our growth strategy, and their combined technology, global experience and customer-centred approach will help us reach our broader global ambitions.”
The additions to the leadership team come as the Group is making substantial progress in its ongoing transition to a digital business. Digital revenues now represent two-thirds of total Group revenues. More than half of the subscribers to The Economist are on digital-only packages, and two-thirds of new customers last year opted for digital-only subscriptions. The Group has ambitious product roadmaps that put digital innovation at the centre of its offerings.
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Mr Fleshman, a seasoned technology leader with over 20 years of experience, will spearhead The Economist Group’s technical vision focusing on developing technology platforms and teams to enable world-class, personalised web,mobile and app experiences that allow customers to easily discover and interact with all of the varied and rich set of assets across the Group.
Prior to The Economist Group, Mr Fleshman was CTO at HOOQ, a joint-venture of Singtel, Warner Pictures and Sony Pictures. He led product and technology teams based in Singapore, Indonesia, India, Thailand and the Philippines to create one of Southeast Asia’s leading content streaming platforms. Before moving to Asia Michael led digital transformations at some of the UK’s leading brands, including roles as Senior Vice President of Consumer Digital Technology for BBC Worldwide and CTO and CIO at the Financial Times. Michael has also held CTO roles at AOL France and Nickelodeon Online/MTV Networks in New York. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with a BSEE in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
“I am very excited to be joining The Economist Group, one of the world’s most respected brands,” said Mr. Fleshman. “In my role as CTO, I look forward to leading our technology teams and shaping the role technology plays in the company’s next stage of growth and transformation. We are at a critical time in our business and it’s important that we provide the best value to our customers through innovative and engaging new products.”
As The Group’s Chief Product Officer, Ms Goulding will lead the continued evolution of The Economist and Economist Impact’s market-leading product portfolio. She will focus on creating digital destinations that are intuitive and innovative for customers, and that bring to life the depth and breadth of the Group’s rich content.
With more than 15 years of experience creating groundbreaking digital products, Ms. Goulding joins The Economist Group from Discovery, Inc. where she was Group Vice President for its Sports Products. At Discovery she brought cutting-edge live content to a global audience for three Olympic Games and a host of premier sports, such as cycling tours and tennis grand slams. She was responsible for delivering the first digital Olympics across Europe, ensuring every moment of the Games was available across multiple digital platforms. Previous to this role she was Head of Digital Platforms for Sky Sports. She also was the New Media lead in the planning and production of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics website. Ms Goulding is a graduate of Cornell University and has a Masters from the London School of Economics in Information Management Systems.
“It is a privilege to be a part of a world-class team, especially at this vibrant moment in the organization’s trajectory,” said Ms. Goulding. “I look forward to driving product innovation that further accelerates growth and helps realize The Economist Group’s mission, and reinforces the organization’s reputation as a leading global media brand.”
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