Nine, a leading media group, has named Suzie Cardwell as its first chief data officer, aiming to expand data utilization across the company. The appointment, effective from July, marks Nine’s ongoing efforts to maximize first-party data, enhance targeted advertising capabilities, and compete with global digital video platforms.
As the sole individual responsible for data governance, strategy, and planning at Nine, Cardwell will report directly to the chief digital officer, Alex Parsons. Parsons expressed confidence in Cardwell’s extensive experience and leadership in data strategy and planning within the media market, making her the ideal candidate for driving Nine’s data strategy. He believes her expertise will optimize operations and elevate consumer and commercial engagement across all digital platforms.
Cardwell eager to contribute to ongoing digital transformation
Cardwell, excited about the vast potential of Nine’s existing data assets, looks forward to leveraging them to drive innovation, improve consumer experiences, and fuel business growth. She is eager to contribute to Nine’s ongoing digital transformation journey.
Nine’s CEO, Mike Sneesby, acknowledged in the company’s 2022 annual report that while significant progress had been made, their data journey was still in its early stages. With over 20 million unique signed-in users and an additional 16 million individuals engaging with Nine’s network each month, Sneesby emphasized the revenue opportunities driven by audience interactions across various platforms.
The report highlighted the two-fold opportunity presented by gathering data and intelligence on user habits and preferences. Firstly, it enables the analysis of content consumption and informs future content and product investment. Secondly, it facilitates the delivery of more relevant advertising.
The annual report outlined Nine’s investments in analytics capabilities, such as the implementation of single-sign-on (SSO) for its digital entertainment services and the adoption of VirtualOz—a ratings tool integrating broadcast viewing on TV sets and connected devices into a unified database with de-duplicated user statistics. Nine Radio’s introduction of SSO allowed for data analysis of audience composition and preferences, supporting digital revenue growth.
Additionally, the report mentioned the challenges posed by Apple’s stricter user behavior tracking policies and Google’s plan to phase out third-party cookies. These circumstances position Nine to compete with global platforms for targeted advertising revenue.
Commitment to harnessing the power of data and advancing its digital strategies
With a career spanning more than 20 years in media, digital, and data roles, Cardwell brings valuable expertise to her new position. She most recently served as the head of customer data product at Scentre Group, the owner of Westfield shopping centers, for six months. Prior to that, she spent five years at News Corp, holding positions such as general manager of data commercialization and general manager of client product and strategy. Cardwell also worked at Foxtel between 2013 and 2017, initially as the head of platform advertising innovation and later as the digital partnerships and product development director.
By appointing Suzie Cardwell as chief data officer, Nine demonstrates its commitment to harnessing the power of data and advancing its digital strategies. With Cardwell’s leadership, Nine aims to leverage its vast data assets, drive innovation, and enhance consumer experiences, ultimately solidifying its position in the highly competitive digital video market.