John Brown hires Stefano Hatfield as global editorial director to lead aggressive expansion
Content agency John Brown Media has hired i newspaper’s launch editor Stefano Hatfield to be its first global editorial director to lead the agency’s aggressive international expansion.
The news comes a year after the agency’s acquisition by the Dentsu Aegis network, with the intention of “scaling the brand aggressively”, particularly in Asia and the USA on the back of what the company called “huge growth in the branded content market”.
Hatfield will work closely with John Brown’s chief executive Andrew Hirsch to grow the business both organically and by acquisition. He will also capitalise on the new business opportunities that have resulted from the Dentsu Aegis acquisition.
He will also work alongside Matt Potter, who becomes chief content officer as well as William Sitwell, editorial director of food; and Marie O’Riordan, editorial director of fashion.
Hatfield launched the i newspaper, which he continues to write a weekly column for. In addition to the i, Hatfield was the editor behind the launches of thelondonpaper, Metro New York and the contemporary 50+ digital start-up High50.com.
He was also editor of Campaign, editorial director at Advertising Age International in New York, editor in chief Metro USA, executive editor of The Independent and launch editorial director of the London Live television channel.
Hatfield will be based in John Brown’s new Old Street offices in London, but he will spend a lot of his time in the US, China and Asia Pacific.
Hatfield commented: “I’m excited to be joining not only the world’s leading content agency, but an editor-led company that I’ve admired for so long. I look forward to working with Andrew and top editorial talent like Matt, William and Marie to create the type of great, engaging content they produce for John Lewis, Waitrose and others here in the UK, in whatever the appropriate medium or market around the world.”
Hirsch said: “I’ve known Stefano for more than 20 years and I’ve always admired his editorial leadership. As we expand internationally, Stefano will be a great ambassador for both John Brown Media and myself.”