Freebie newsbrand the Evening Standard has hired the co-founder and former chief executive of Shortlist Media as its new CEO, a newly-created position.
Since joining the industry 30 years ago, Mike Soutar has worked across print, digital and broadcast in both the UK and internationally. He has edited print titles including Smash Hits and FHM, served as managing director of Kiss FM and sat on the board of IPC Media (now TI Media).
Soutar co-founded Shortlist Media (now The Stylist Group) – publisher of freebie magazines Stylist and the now-closed Shortlist – in 2007, and oversaw the sale of the business in 2016.
“I’ve been a regular reader of the Evening Standard since the late 1980s when I first moved to London. It is the city’s heartbeat – a Londoner’s essential source of news, entertainment, listings and inspiration,” Soutar said.
“Its quality journalism reaches unparalleled numbers of influential and affluent readers in print every weekday and it touches millions more through its website and other platforms. I look forward to working with the talented team at the Evening Standard to grow an even stronger business that will continue to play a central role in shaping and reporting the cultural and political development of the greatest city in the world.”
Commenting on the appointment, Evgeny Lebedev, owner of the newsbrand, added: “We are delighted that Mike has joined the Evening Standard at this important time for the company and wider industry and are confident that his vast media experience and leadership skills will make a great success of this new role.”
Soutar takes up on job from October 7.
According to the latest data from PAMCo, the newsbrand reaches 16 million people a month across print and digital platforms, including 3.9 million in print.
