A former director of Meta, the tech conglomerate that owns Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, is to join the board of Bath-based global media group Future as a non-executive director.
Ivana Kirkbride, who held director positions in both product marketing and content strategy & acquisitions at Meta, has spent her career in content-led, digital media businesses.
She has also held senior positions at Verizon, Google and YouTube – all in the US – and, according to Future, has “a deep understanding of how to leverage data and technology to create and deliver content to consumer audiences”.
For the past five months she has also been a strategic advisor for Emirates Capital with a focus on technology, media and cultural creative industries in Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia.
She will join Future’s board at the end of a challenging year for the group, whose interests span magazines and websites such as Horse & Hound, TechRadar and MoneyWeek to Go.Compare, the price comparison website.
Revenues at the one-time star performer of the UK and US media sectors over recent years have come under pressure from what it has called the continued macroeconomic volatility impacting on the industry.
Ivana’s appointment comes ahead of non-executive director Hugo Drayton’s forthcoming retirement from Future’s board following nearly nine years as a member.
He will resign from the board on 31 January and will not seek re-election at the company’s AGM in February.
Ivana, who joins the board in December, will become a member of the nominations and the responsibility committees, replacing Hugo as chair of the latter on 1 February.
She said: “I hope to support Future’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. I’m proud to increase representation as a woman of colour on the board, and pave the way for others from underrepresented backgrounds in public company leadership.
“I’m excited to join the board at this dynamic time for Future. I look forward to collaborating closely with the leadership team to help shape the strategic direction of this innovative, global multi-platform business.
“I appreciate Hugo Drayton’s mentorship during my onboarding and am committed to contributing to Future continued success.”
Future chair Richard Huntingford added: “I am delighted that Ivana has agreed to join Future’s board.
“Ivana brings extensive relevant experience from a range of large tech/digital media companies as well as a deep understanding of working across the media, digital, consumer ecosystem, particularly in the US market which is a key strategic priority for the group.
“She will be a very valuable addition to Future’s board. At the same time, I would like to thank Hugo for his significant contribution to the Future board over the past nine years.”
Future will announce its full-year results on 7 December.
