Future – the publisher of Triathlon Plus magazine and TriRadar.com, alongside an array of cycling and other media titles – has confirmed that Chief Executive Mark Wood is standing down from the role and will take a non-executive directorship on the plc board. He hands over to current Chief Financial Officer Zillah Byng-Maddick, who takes over as CEO on 1 April.
Mark said “Zillah has made a tremendous impact since she joined Future. She was brought in for her experience in both digital transformation and organisational structuring and has precisely the skills needed to lead the company through the next phase of its evolution.”
Zillah said “Future is an excellent business going through fast transition thanks to Mark’s leadership. We have considerable momentum and market-leading content that has high impact with a global audience. I look forward to leading the business through the next phase of its evolution.”
Zillah Byng-Maddick joined Future as CFO in November 2013. She was previously CFO and interim CEO at Trader Media, publisher of Auto Trader, prior to which she was CFO and then MD at gym chain Fitness First.
Mark Wood was appointed Group CEO at Future in 2011. During his time in charge the company emerged as a digital leader in the UK. It now draws 60 million unique users to its websites each month and has ‘a 23% market share in audited digital magazines sold on tablets.’
The company’s overall digital revenues grew 33% last year. During Mark Wood’s tenure, Future became unique in being named Digital Consumer Publisher of the Year by the AOP and the PPA, as well as Media Company of the Year at the British Media Awards.
Mark added “We have come a long way in the last three years but recent trading results underline that there is still much to be done. I will still be involved in the business and will give Zillah all the support I can. But the change in role also allows me to follow up some interesting recent approaches.”
