Reach has announced it is appointing Facebook’s Maureen McDonagh into the newly created role of Chief Customer Officer.
McDonagh is due to join Reach at the end of January. She will be responsible for delivering a joined up data and customer strategy, working closely with the digital teams and steering a range of customer focussed objectives. In her current role as Industry Head at Facebook, she runs the client-facing Retail team, driving growth with a variety of clients including Tesco, M&S, Arcadia, Burberry, Chanel and Cancer Research. Prior roles include Digital Commerce Director (EMEA & Global) at Nectar Loyalty and Head of Partner Marketing & eCommerce at News UK.
McDonagh will sit on the Senior Executive Committee and report directly into Chief Executive Officer Jim Mullen. She is the first senior executive appointment made by Mullen since he joined the business in August 2019.
McDonagh said: “I’m enormously excited to be joining Reach at a time when the media industry as a whole is at such an inflection point in terms of how people consume news, the increasing power of the customer and their changing relationship with brands. The new role of Chief Customer Officer is powerful recognition by Reach of the customer as one of their most powerful assets and I’m hugely excited by the challenge of nurturing this asset to help drive business growth.
“I’d also like to express a huge thank you to Facebook, where over the last six years I’ve had the opportunity to work with some truly inspirational leaders, talented colleagues, agencies and global brand owners. I leave a transformed UK business that has grown from 100 to over 3,000 people in the UK during my time and wish them continued success.”
Mullen added: “With her blend of media, e-commerce and customer loyalty experience, Maureen will be perfectly placed to drive our customer-centric vision and targets forward, ultimately helping us to continue to innovate and develop new customer revenue streams. I am delighted to welcome her to the Reach plc executive team.”
