Magnetic names James Wildman as its new chairman

Magnetic, the marketing body for consumer magazines, has announced that Hearst UK president and CEO James Wildman has replaced Marcus Rich as chairman.

“Marcus has been a huge support to myself and Magnetic this year and of course remains a significant stakeholder, so we continue to benefit from his vast knowledge and input,” said Sue Todd, CEO of Magnetic.

“The addition of James Wildman as incoming Chair only strengthens our collective armoury and advantage. We are committed to bringing more evidence and energy to the big industry debates and will continue to shout and celebrate the unique trust and extraordinary relationships that magazine brands have with consumers.

“I look forward to driving even greater collaborations between the publishers in 2018 and having James’ wisdom and drive at the head of the charge.”

Wildman, who began the new role on 1 January, said: “The media landscape continues to undergo rapid transformation and it’s an incredibly exciting time for our industry. Magazine media retains the power to engage consumers in a truly unique way, whilst offering innovative and creative solutions for our commercial partners.

“Marcus and the Magnetic team have done a great job in amplifying our media’s premium, trusted proposition and, together with my colleagues across our progressive magazine sector, I intend to build on this progress in 2018.”