Seven West boss Jeff Howard on oOh! Media’s list of CEO candidates

Seven West CEO Jeff Howard. Picture: LinkedIn

Seven West Media boss Jeff Howard is fending off suggestions in the market he is firming as the favourite to replace Cathy O’Connor as chief executive of oOh! Media.

It comes amid chatter that executive changes are being made in the top ranks at the Perth-based free-to-air broadcaster, publisher and video on demand producer that is controlled by billionaire Kerry Stokes.

Seven West sources say that Mr Howard was approached for the job, but did not pursue the opportunity. However, others say otherwise, suggesting he was interviewed for the position and remains the top contender.

Should Mr Howard not be keen to take on the role and depart the Stokes-controlled Seven West, Mike Tyquin could be tapped from Woolworths, where he currently runs its retail media business Cartology. He was previously the chief executive of Adshel, which is now part of oOh! Media.

Mr Howard has run Seven West since 2024, taking on the role after the departure of former boss James Warburton.

He was the broadcaster’s chief financial officer from 2020, and had earlier been CFO of radio broadcaster ARN Media.

Former Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin was also among contenders tapped by executive search firms, including Korn Ferry, looking to find the right candidate.

oOh! Media announced in April that Ms O’Connor will step down in the second half of this year after leading the company for more than four years.

She was appointed in 2021 after running radio broadcaster Nova Entertainment and came highly regarded.

The outdoor advertiser’s share price earlier this year had been at about a quarter of what it was before the pandemic — valued at about six times its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, compared to about nine times previously.

The market value is now about $900m, but it outlaid about $580m to buy rival Adshel from what was previously HT&E (now ARN Media) in 2018, which was before Ms O’Connor’s time.

Sydney-based oOh! Media is Australia’s largest operator of out of home advertising products and also operates in New Zealand.

Steven Joyce to chair NZME

Meanwhile, NZME shareholders voted for former National Party MP Steven Joyce to become the new chairman of the New Zealand Herald publisher to replace Barbara Chapman, while activist investor Jim Grenon was elected as a director at its annual general meeting in Auckland on Tuesday.

The developments come after a campaign led by Mr Grenon to sack the board and appoint new directors in a quest to improve the company’s performance.

After delaying the AGM, the board put forward Mr Joyce as candidate for chair, and Ms Chapman later announced she would retire from the position.

Mr Grenon was accused by key figures in the New Zealand media industry of trying to influence the editorial agenda at the country’s flagship newspaper, The New Zealand Herald, which NZME owns.

It came after the unusual move by the loss-making publisher and radio broadcaster, listed in both Australia and New Zealand, to ban the media from attending the AGM unless permission was sought from the board.

It also came in a day when the Kiwi online listed classified business TradeMe announced it had reached a deal with rival publisher to buy a 50 per cent stake in its Stuff news website business Stuff Digital.