FT Hires Head of Audience Engagement

UK paper The Financial Times has hired Havas content chief Renée Kaplan for the newly created role of Head of Audience Engagement. She will take up the post in May.

Kaplan (pictured) is currently at Havas Worldwide in Paris, in the role of Chief Content Officer, in charge of a unit that produces integrated content communication strategies for global clients. She is a former Editorial Director for France 24 and Producer at CNN, CBS News and PBS. She also lectures at the American University of Paris and Sciences-Po Paris, and she is a published author of fiction and non-fiction books. In her new role, she will oversee an expanded audience engagement program, and a team responsible for developing new approaches to promoting FT journalism and deepening its relationship with readers and subscribers.

The FT has also appointed Bede McCarthy as Director of Product, Mark Alderson as Head of Operations for the newsroom, and Kevin Wilson as Visual News Editor. All four appointments will focus on enhancing FT's digital products and services, and offering readers 'more opportunity to consume and engage with the paper's journalism'.

CEO John Ridding comments: 'In 2015, we will maintain momentum by increasing our focus on making the FT a habit for new readers and subscribers. Renée, Bede, Mark and Kevin will play instrumental roles in driving this effort through a range of initiatives including a new FT.com.'

Web site: www.ft.com .