New boss Laura Lang, the digital queen, stuns the troops at Time
They're all a twitter down at Time with the news that Digitas boss Laura Lang, is to take over as CEO of the magazine giant next month. Lang doesn't have any publishing experience - but will deliver digital expertise and a tough but collaborative leadership style, according to people who know her , says Ad Age magazine.
Laura Lang
Ms. Lang is coming from the largest digital agency in the U.S., with more than a half-billion dollars in revenue in 2010
One view is hat she will help Time's publishing division better serve marketers.
The previous CEO, Jack Griffin, was ousted after alienating long-serving senior executives .
"People who have worked with Ms. Lang said she's calm, consultative and well-liked by her team, for whom she sets clear goals," said the mag.
"She is tough-minded and demands execution, but people like being on a winning team," David Kenny, Ms. Lang's predecessor at Digitas, told Ad Age .
Another view: . "She puts a great group of people together and stands back and lets them have a great time."
She once played bass with a rock cover band, but does no longer after chemotherapy to treat breast cancer.
Although not a big figure on the media scene, in the last year, she's become friendly with media superstar Arianna Huffington.
At Time, one exec said of her appointment, "It's really shocking I have to say for a lot of people in the building.
"Look, I think it's great that she's digital. We have a lot of people here who know print really well. But she's very marketing- services focused. "