Foxtel Media is enhancing its digital and streaming focus with the elevation of two key leaders to its executive team. Seasoned marketing professional Annie Griffiths will become executive director planning and operations, advertising while John Matthews has been appointed as executive director of advanced advertising – heading a new department created to drive the growth of digital advertising in the streaming age.
Griffiths has played a major role in Foxtel Media’s executive leadership team for over four years. She has steered the company’s strategy as it refocused to a streaming-led business, retiring legacy systems and updating processes to meet the needs of a rapidly growing digital advertiser base. She has also helped to optimise Foxtel Media’s positioning in the market as a premium SVOD player through the development of a new brand strategy and sales narrative, while serving as the architect and storyteller for Foxtel Media’s annual Upfront event.
In her new role, Griffiths will spearhead the company’s new three-year strategy with a strong focus on operational excellence and customer growth into 2028. She will also drive key strategic programs for Foxtel Media.
“We’re at an interesting moment in the streaming era and I’m happy to part of Foxtel Media’s evolution. It’s been a wild ride so far – we’ve taken some big swings, driven some industry-shaking initiatives, and it’s working: we’re leading the charge in shaping the future of advertising. We’ve adapted. And, while uncomfortable at times, it’s also rather exciting. Next stop: more watchability, more context, more proof of performance” said Griffiths.
Industry veteran John Matthews most recently served as executive director of Media and Advertising at Foxtel Group and was part of the team who launched the Kayo Sports product in market. With robust experience in ad buying, Matthews knows exactly what brands and agencies want from digital campaigns and will take ownership of the Foxtel Media digital advertising product across Kayo Sports, BINGE, Foxtel Now and IQ VOD.
“I’m thrilled to step into this new role and lead the charge in expanding our digital advertising capabilities across Foxtel Media’s platforms. As streaming becomes increasingly central to how audiences consume content, it’s crucial that we deliver innovative, data-driven solutions that meet the evolving needs of brands and agencies. I look forward to working with our talented team to elevate our digital advertising strategy, particularly through our first party data strategy for addressable advertising and by strengthening our third-party data partnerships, ensuring that Foxtel Media continues to lead in the digital space,” said Matthews.
Reporting to Foxtel Media CEO, Mark Frain, Matthews will lead a team of over 50 people, as he oversees product roadmap and delivery, adtech, and data strategy for addressable advertising, as well as pricing, yield and inventory management.
Congratulating Griffiths and Matthews on their new roles, Foxtel Media CEO Mark Frain said, “Foxtel Media is at the forefront of the streaming revolution, and the elevation of both Annie Griffiths and John Matthews to our executive team underscores our commitment to innovation and leadership in the digital advertising space. Annie has been instrumental in our transition to a streaming-led business, and her vision will drive our next phase of growth and operational excellence. With John leading our new Advanced Advertising department, we are poised to enhance our digital advertising offerings, leveraging cutting-edge data strategies and partnerships to deliver even greater value to our clients”.
