Importantly, as a senior vice president in a new position, Maryam Banikarim will take a seat on the 11-member Gannett Management Committee, which has overall responsibility for the company's worldwide operations. At 42 years old, the NBC Universal marketing executive will be the youngest member. The committee is led by CEO Craig Dubow.
The announcement came in a statement that confirmed a weekend trade report, and followed intense speculation here about Banikarim's future role in Gannett, a company that rarely elevates outsiders to such senior positions. (Extensive Gannett Blog reader comments here and here.)
This is a very, very big deal. Perhaps second only to the 2008 hiring of Chief Digital Officer Chris Saridakis -- who quit last year -- this is the most important GCI job created in the more than four years since I've written about the company. It has the potential for far-reaching consequences across GCI.
Banikarim will be responsible for all companywide marketing, communications and research efforts. The timing of her hiring is curious, as it comes exactly one week after GCI launched its first corporate branding campaign, an effort presumably led by another executive: the company's communications chief, Vice President Robin Pence. Pence, hired in July 2009, is not a member of the Gannett Management Committee.
Why now?
NBC Universal is undergoing management upheaval as a result of its recent $14 billion merger with cable giant Comcast. Banikarim may have become suddenly available to GCI, which would explain the timing of her appointment so soon after the brand campaign's high-profile start. Under those circumstances, the future of that campaign is uncertain.
At NBC Universal, Banikarim was senior vice president of integrated sales marketing. GCI says she was responsible for "working across NBC Universal's portfolio to develop custom, innovative ad sales solutions on behalf of clients as well as overseeing marketing for NBC Universal and the company's cross-platform initiatives including Women at NBCU, Green is Universal and Healthy at NBCU." Previously Banikarim served as the chief marketing officer of Univision Communications.
COO Gracia Martore said: "Maryam is an outstanding marketing executive with a proven track record of success across a wide range of media. She understands how a media company can be an effective marketing partner for its clients which is key to our solutions based sales efforts. Maryam's creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and ability to make things happen will help us continue to drive growth across the company."
In the statement, Banikarim was quoted as saying: "I am excited to be joining the exceptional and dynamic team at Gannett and to be part of the company's transformation strategy. The company's powerful brands across broadcast, digital, mobile and publishing afford advertisers reach and engagement but also national and local insights into today's consumers, something that is increasingly important to marketers. This is an incredibly exciting time for all of us in the media business and being part of a team committed to paving the way forward is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
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| Banikarim |
This is a very, very big deal. Perhaps second only to the 2008 hiring of Chief Digital Officer Chris Saridakis -- who quit last year -- this is the most important GCI job created in the more than four years since I've written about the company. It has the potential for far-reaching consequences across GCI.
Banikarim will be responsible for all companywide marketing, communications and research efforts. The timing of her hiring is curious, as it comes exactly one week after GCI launched its first corporate branding campaign, an effort presumably led by another executive: the company's communications chief, Vice President Robin Pence. Pence, hired in July 2009, is not a member of the Gannett Management Committee.
Why now?
NBC Universal is undergoing management upheaval as a result of its recent $14 billion merger with cable giant Comcast. Banikarim may have become suddenly available to GCI, which would explain the timing of her appointment so soon after the brand campaign's high-profile start. Under those circumstances, the future of that campaign is uncertain.
At NBC Universal, Banikarim was senior vice president of integrated sales marketing. GCI says she was responsible for "working across NBC Universal's portfolio to develop custom, innovative ad sales solutions on behalf of clients as well as overseeing marketing for NBC Universal and the company's cross-platform initiatives including Women at NBCU, Green is Universal and Healthy at NBCU." Previously Banikarim served as the chief marketing officer of Univision Communications.
COO Gracia Martore said: "Maryam is an outstanding marketing executive with a proven track record of success across a wide range of media. She understands how a media company can be an effective marketing partner for its clients which is key to our solutions based sales efforts. Maryam's creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and ability to make things happen will help us continue to drive growth across the company."
In the statement, Banikarim was quoted as saying: "I am excited to be joining the exceptional and dynamic team at Gannett and to be part of the company's transformation strategy. The company's powerful brands across broadcast, digital, mobile and publishing afford advertisers reach and engagement but also national and local insights into today's consumers, something that is increasingly important to marketers. This is an incredibly exciting time for all of us in the media business and being part of a team committed to paving the way forward is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
Basically, she is in charge of National Sales. Say goodbye to USA Today, Digital National Sales and USCP Focused Sales efforts.
ReplyDeleteThis is what Dubow wanted all along. They hired a bunch of expensive former Coca-Cola consultants to tell them they needed to hire a CMO who would "do sales".
Good bye Robin Pence....Nice knowing you!
ReplyDeleteRobin is Corp Communications. Not sales. 11:45 does it feel good to be such a hater? What an awful way to live your life. Wishing ill on others. Were you left out by the popular kids in middle school? Move on.
ReplyDeleteGannett says Banikarim will be in charge of all communications.
ReplyDeleteMaryam Good luck and welcome aboard
ReplyDeleteIs it me or does this feel like trying to hire Chesley Sullenberger to rescue the Titantic?
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see how she fits into the org chart - or how the rest of corporate communications, (Pence) advertising execs (Krans, Gialliambardo), marketing execs (Simpson) as well as USAT, digital and broadcast advertising and marketing execs fit into this puzzle.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the org chart set-up will help us better understand the pecking order.
11:45 - Replacing Robin Pence and Tara Connell perhaps?
ReplyDeleteHow does Brewer and the USCP National Sales Team fit in here?
ReplyDeleteHere's the saddest a-ha moment: For a company that says it shall always value its First Amendment obligations, the Vice President for News is not a member of the Gannett Management Committee. The Vice President of ContentOne is a member. The new CMO is a member. But not Kate.
ReplyDeleteYou pick: This is a sign that Craig wants to keep the newsies away from the grown-ups' table; Kate is a USCP employee, so she can't speak for broadcast news and can't be at the big table; Craig doesn't like Kate. Sadly, there may be more than one right answer here.
All well and good now that it is a done deal. But a lot of toes have been trodden on for this deal, and I think some careers ended. Watch your back, Maryam, because the long knives are drawn.
ReplyDeleteI'm not seeing the Gannett ads anymore. Did we just throw away a few million on this disastrous campaign that is now repudiated with Banikarim's appointment? Million here, and a million there, and soon you are talking about real money.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if she is going to be just another in a long line of supposedly bright, dynamic women (Robin Pence, Tara Connell, Kate Marymont, etc.) who are put into high-ranking positions and then swallowed by Gannett's corporate culture, becoming figureheads with no real power or influence.
ReplyDeleteI just saw the Gannett ad on CNN, and also on MediaBistro. The TV ad didn't say much about anything and the MB ad required a click to learn about Gannett; as if anyone on MediaBistro really needed to learn more about it!
ReplyDeleteThere was an ad on the back of Ad Age last week. It looked like it was designed by a newspaper. Nuff said.
ReplyDelete1:42 Connell isn't a member of the Gannett Management Committee. However, she did manage to get the old Gannett News Service -- now ContentOne -- designated as its own entity, separate from the USCP's News Department, and run by her as a company "officer." This is at least symbolic of her close relationship with Dubow and Martore, and so her higher status within the Gannett Tower.
ReplyDeleteThis is of more than passing importance within the tower's Machiavellian culture.
It's fun for everyone to speculate on who's in, who's out like some Politburo wall shot, but the analysis of this is so upside down as to be laughable.
ReplyDeleteYes, this is a new position, and yes, technically Maryam could be seen as above the other marketing/communications units beneath her circle.
But her job and goal is to make something happen for Gannett's image, not to answer media inquiries, not to fight for a corner desk and not to get all knee-deep in collateral materials for ad salespeople.
There are plenty of peopl to do that; Maryam, like the other new people, needs to succeed -- not through managing a static organization but through changing the aim so we bring in revenue.
Tara and Robin, whatever you think of them, were neither passed over nor even a factor in this. To play this as losses for them because they are the few faces of communications you people know about, is just wrong.
Robin Pence will be a key part of what's to come. She knows it and all is well.
Tea leaves are fun, but maybe you should switch to a stronger brew.
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ReplyDeleteHey 4:47p SPIN IT ANYWAY YOU WANT...ROBIN, but you are screwed out of the job. You thought you were going to become the CMO, but now you are reporting into a 40-something Monsoon. Nice. Bet you are loving Gracia now!!!
ReplyDelete4:49 is correct. Watch what happens by summer; that crew won't make it: house cleaning begins.
ReplyDeleteNew analysts reports on GCI all over the web today. Stop gossiping and get some facts on here. Oh yeah I forgot....there are not facts on here. Only gossip and speculation. Also, new Pew study out today. If you don't already know it by now (God help you) but the news biz and consumer habits are going digital.
ReplyDeleteAnalysts recognize Gracia and Gannett as a company that is doing a pretty damn good job, at managing the risks of newspaper declines, by diversifying revenue streams. I know most of you would love to see your former employer go under but that is just not going to happen. Your whining changes nothing. I'm rooting for success as my retirement is dependant on it. Be careful what you wish for.
Anyone who thinks they are going to lard up the executive suite because of this appointment is mistaken. This company is in no shape for any increase in the do-nothing executive ranks, and these people serve at-pleasure. So I also expect considerable blood-letting in the Crystal towers as a result of what has happened. No loss as far as I am concerned as this is the group of dolts that has led us into the Valley of the Shadow of Death.
ReplyDeleteOK. Fact 1. GCI opened at 17.05 and closed at 15.41.
ReplyDeleteHmmm.
5:42 No, that's gossip. Everything at Gannett is fine....The company is thriving under an energetic and creative leadership...the employees are eager and happy to work, and the product _ well let me tell you about the product.....
ReplyDeleteShe stepped over the genius Cristiano! Bad example.
ReplyDeleteGood choice Gracia! Finally the executives are making some good choices! This one, if Gannett lets her do what she does best — could actually make a difference! Best of luck to you, Ms.Banikarim. Welcome aboard - please show all these “has been” old men what is is like to “have a brain”.
ReplyDeleteCongrats and best of luck to you!
Love her! Worked with her at NBC. She will take no prisoners and do what she needs to do. She is smart, brave, well respected, highly networked with national advertisers and BRILLIANT. If you are an empty suit, she will see it in 5 seconds flat. if you are good, she will bring you in as an ally. Good hire Gracia!!!!!! I feel optimistic for the first time in a long time.
ReplyDeleteI hope she employs her plan quickly. We need her.
Confusion on her role in the org structure (sales, marketing, PR) and lack of clarity on who reports to her, on the heels of launching a brand campaign that a CMO would direct. Classic.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThere's no marketing genius on earth likely to do much with Gannett's newspapers. They are shrinking, dead-tree fossils all but forsaken by the young. And yet they remain the major revenue source for a company that doesn't understand digital news delivery, much less how to make money on it. Jim's earthquake front pages spoke volumes.
ReplyDelete--She stepped over the genius Cristiano! Bad example--
ReplyDeleteCrist who?
What a bunch of losers looking to post negative comments. How about recognizing that the company continues to invest in top tier digital talent that will help drive the transition from print company to digital media company. The only people that need to be concerned are those who don't produce.
ReplyDelete