Hearst Names Former WarnerMedia and Snap Exec Kristen O’Hara as SVP and Chief Business Officer
O'Hara spent 16 years at Time Warner, 7 of those as CMO
Hearst Magazines announced today that former WarnerMedia and Snap executive Kristen O’Hara will be assuming the role of svp and chief business officer, effective Jan. 6. In the newly created position, O’Hara will oversee U.S. advertising sales and marketing for Hearst brands, as well as integrated and corporate sales.
“Kristen brings a wealth of experience, solid relationships and innovative ideas to this new role,” wrote Hearst Magazines president Troy Young in a statement.
O’Hara’s sales and leadership experience “across multiple brands and platforms” in addition to her “fearless approach to an evolving media industry” will serve Hearst’s clients, audience engagement and business, Young said.
In 2018, O’Hara joined Snap as vp of global business solutions. A month later, she was offered a promotion to chief business officer—but the offer was rescinded two days later. O’Hara left Snap as a result, just a month after arriving at the company.
Prior to the stint at Snap, O’Hara spent 16 years at WarnerMedia (then Time Warner), and over seven years as CMO for the media giant. While there, she also launched and ran the consumer engagement testing facility, the Time Warner Medialab.
“Hearst has been at the forefront of innovation for more than 132 years and serves as a model for how to stay relevant in an ever-changing media world,” O’Hara wrote in a statement. “I can’t wait to join the team.”
This latest hire completes a succession plan following long-time Hearst president, marketing and publishing director Michael Clinton’s July retirement. He remains at the company as a senior media advisor.
