Reach says Laurence will start this month, reporting to Chief Digital Publisher David Higgerson. He joins from Hearst, where he is currently editor-in-chief at DigitalSpy.com. He brings a wealth of experience in data-led journalism as well as in SEO, social and video strategy, and has a strong track record in driving digital growth.
In this new leadership role, the publisher says Laurence will be responsible for building the Curiously brand and growing Reach’s Gen Z audience. He will be working with teams across editorial to make sure all brands are producing content that’s accessible to under-35s.
Laurence said: “I’m really looking forward to joining Reach and building on the work already underway in bringing news to the next generation of readers. There’s so much potential to draw this demographic to content across all of Reach’s fantastic brands. The role of trustworthy news and reporting is crucial, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Reach Chief Digital Publisher, David Higgerson, commented: “I’m excited to be bringing Laurence in to drive forward our plan for attracting, keeping and growing younger audiences, which is crucial to the success and sustainability of our journalism and brands.
“Laurence is an award-winning journalist and editor with a passion for helping Gen Z and younger audiences appreciate the value of news, and has expert knowledge in driving record-breaking traffic for younger audiences across multiple platforms, so he’ll be a great fit for the role and for Reach.”
With a focus on engaging a younger audience over the past year, Reach says it has seen a year-on-year increase of 2.5% in under-35 audience and recently hit the milestone of 100 million followers across social media channels.
Keep up-to-date with publishing news: sign up here for InPubWeekly, our free weekly e-newsletter.
