“Leigh has worked inside and alongside AMP for the last 20 years. She is totally immersed in the world of omnichannel publishing, and has shown commitment above and beyond through the toughest times in the reinvention of traditional publishing. I have total trust and confidence that Leigh will take Associated Media to the next level in her new and well-deserved role of managing director,” says Julia Raphaely, Associated Media CEO.
Here, Kinross talks to us about her career so far and how, as the new managing director, she will focus on driving the overall strategy of AMP, continuing to create a spotlight for their brands, and how she intends to also seek opportunities to collaborate with like-minded brands and businesses.
Thank you, I am super excited! I am passionate about our industry and up for the challenge.
1 October.
There is a lot of disruption in the traditional media space, but we are also seeing a lot of opportunity. As media models evolve, our ability to be agile in our approach to content, partnerships and collaboration is what drives us all. Our focus is to continue to put the consumer at the front and centre of what we do, and drive conversations that matter. Where better to do that than media in South Africa?
Every day is day one! No two weeks are the same, and never before has it been easier to take an idea or project and just run with it. The fact that we are a small independent business helps.
AMP recently won gold at the New Generation Digital Awards for our Ready to Shop innovation. This is important for the business, and so well deserved for teams who have worked tirelessly to bring it to life.
However, overall, I would say the continued first-to-market initiatives, focusing our efforts on producing exceptional content. This includes the first global transgender cover and the first selfie cover collaboration with YouTube, both on Cosmopolitan, and, more recently, the Good Housekeeping Millennial Mom survey, which has generated insights that we have gathered and are about to take to market.
I have worked in the magazine media space for 18 years – in various roles, from business development, sales, marketing and digital to events and sponsorships. I have a good understanding of how the teams work together to optimise output. The experience helps me make quick decisions, which is important in a fast-paced industry. The omnichannel evolution has driven our flexible, always-on mindset. I’ve had a lot of learning – and continue to learn – seeing both successes and failure on all the platforms.
Working with the teams – we have the most dynamic people in our business; a diverse set of talent and thought leaders. The business has a fairly flat structure; we encourage input and participation from everyone.
Continue to find and work with the right partners! My focus is to drive the overall strategy of AMP, continue to create a spotlight for our brands and seek opportunities to collaborate with like-minded brands and businesses.
I am a podcast junkie, I’m currently listening to the Digiday series, amongst others. I recently listened to CEO Justin Smith from Bloomberg – a great episode, I highly recommend it. I am always on the lookout to learn more, I love connecting with people and exploring new collaborations – even in the toughest of times there is always opportunity.
I’m fascinated with biohacking, which feeds my podcast addiction. Listen to Dave Asprey and Luke Storey if you want to know more!
Connect with Kinross on LinkedIn and for news and updates, visit the Associated Media Publishing website or follow the group on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
