Mark McGowan and Karen Stocks join SCA board

Former Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan and former Twitter Australia managing director Karen Stocks will join the Southern Cross Media Group board as independent non-executive directors on 28 September.

The appointments will take the board to eight directors, six of them independent. Both appointees must stand for election by shareholders at SCA’s annual general meeting in November, the company’s ASX announcement said.

WA ties and digital expertise

SCA said its board search focused on government and regulatory experience, along with technology, data and audience measurement. McGowan served as WA premier from 2017 to 2023 and treasurer from 2021 to 2023. Stocks led Twitter’s Australian business and later served as Google’s vice president of global measurement, audience and data. She is also a non-executive director of Tabcorp.

The choices speak to two parts of SCA’s business. Its television, radio and publishing assets give it a substantial presence in WA, while its digital advertising plans depend on better use of audience data across the group. 

SCA chair Ryan Stokes said: “Mark and Karen each bring capability that strengthens this Board for the next phase of the Company. Mark has operated at the centre of government and regulation, and he understands Western Australia, where we hold some of our strongest positions. 

"Karen has spent her career on how media audiences are measured and valued, which goes to the heart of the opportunity in front of us. With these appointments, the Board is well placed to give Rohan and the management team the strongest possible support to execute, and to hold the Company to delivering on that potential for all shareholders.”

Board changes after the Seven merger

The appointments follow Stokes’ move into the chair earlier this month and SCA’s merger with Seven West Media in January. The combined company owns the Seven Network, 7plus, LiSTNR, the Hit and Triple M networks, The West Australian and other publishing assets.

McGowan said: “Southern Cross Media reaches deep into Australian life, across the major cities and across regional Australia. In Western Australia its mastheads and stations are part of how the State talks to itself. I am looking forward to contributing to this Board.”

Stocks pointed to the work ahead on digital products and advertising: “I have spent my career at the intersection of media, data, and technology, most recently leading Google’s global measurement work through a period of significant regulatory and privacy change. Southern Cross Media possesses extraordinary scale across television, audio, and publishing. As we roll out next-generation digital platforms, ad-tech, and data solutions for our customers and audiences, I look forward to working with the Board and management to unlock the full value of our combined ecosystem.”

Shareholders will vote on both directors at the November AGM.