Southern Cross Media Appoints Lund, O'Connor After CEO Exit
Southern Cross Media replaces CEO Jeff Howard after one month, appointing Rohan Lund and Cathy O'Connor to board. Leadership shake-up signals post-merger integration challenges in Australian media.
Southern Cross Media (ASX: SXL) has appointed Rohan Lund and Cathy O'Connor as independent non-executive directors, effective March 1 and March 27 respectively, completing a sweeping board overhaul just weeks after the company finalized its merger with Seven West Media in January 2026.
The appointments follow the abrupt departure of CEO and Managing Director Jeff Howard on February 23, who had served approximately one month in the role after the merger closed. His exit was announced the evening before the company released its half-yearly results.
Board Additions Follow Wave of Senior Departures
Lund brings cross-platform media credentials spanning broadcast, streaming, and digital. He served as founding CEO of Yahoo 7, chief operating officer at both Foxtel and Seven West Media, and most recently spent approximately a decade as Group CEO of NRMA.
Mission Media
O'Connor joins with deep experience in audio broadcasting and out-of-home (OOH) advertising. She led Nova Entertainment for 12 years before serving as CEO of Ooh Media from 2021 to 2025.
The appointments coincide with the retirement of Kerry Stokes as board chair on February 20 and the departure of Michael Malone, the iiNet founder and former Seven director, at the end of February. Craig Haskins, Seven's former CFO, also exited when the merger took effect in January.
Heith Mackay-Cruise has been named Interim Executive Chairman, with all business units now reporting directly to him. A global executive search firm has been engaged to find a permanent CEO.
New CFO Scott Butterworth, who brings experience from PEXA Group, Westpac, and NAB, took effect February 23. John Kelly was named Interim CEO for TV and Audio, and Toby Potter was appointed Chief Transformation Officer for TV and Audio on the same date.
"The Board has been focused on adding the attributes and perspectives that will be needed to optimize our performance and navigate a rapidly changing marketplace," said Mackay-Cruise. "We are confident that Rohan and Cathy will make that contribution and that their insights, deep market knowledge and business acumen will be highly beneficial to the Board and our shareholders."
Restructuring Reflects Advertising Market Pressure
The governance reset comes as SCA reported a slight revenue decline in its H1 FY26 results, covering the period ending December 30, 2025. The company cited advertising market pressures as a contributing factor.
The January 2026 merger combined Seven West Media's metropolitan free-to-air television assets with SCA's network of more than 50 regional radio and television stations, creating one of Australia's largest integrated broadcast and audio platforms.
SCA's stated priorities include eliminating cost duplication, consolidating properties, expanding in regional markets, and building data-driven advertising solutions across its combined platform.
The pace of change is notable. Within approximately six weeks of the merger closing, SCA had replaced its CEO, CFO, and board chair while adding two independent directors and appointing interim operational leaders.
Merged Entity Pursues Multi-Platform Advertising Model
O'Connor's OOH expertise and Lund's digital platform background together suggest the restructured board is building capability across advertising formats beyond traditional broadcast.
The current board includes O'Connor, Lund, former Seven non-executive directors Ryan Stokes and Teresa Dyson, and former Southern Cross board members Marina Go, Ido Leffler, and Mackay-Cruise.
SCA's half-yearly earnings call and the permanent CEO search outcome will be the next key indicators of the company's integration direction.
Want to stay up-to-date on the stories shaping Asia's media, marketing, and comms industry? Subscribe to Mission Media for exclusive insights, campaign deep-dives, and actionable intel.
