Linda Henry to Lead Boston Globe Media as Chief Executive Officer

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Boston Globe Media Partners (BGMP) announced today that Linda Henry will serve as Chief Executive Officer of the organization, which includes The Boston Globe, Boston.com, and STAT News.

Linda Henry has served as Managing Director of the Globe for over seven years, and will continue to head the organization’s executive leadership team while also taking responsibility for more of the organization’s day-to-day operations across all business units. As the Globe’s Managing Director, Henry developed and expanded the nearly-150-year-old institution’s brand, centering Boston Globe Media as a convener and expanding its regional footprint through the creation of events and experiences to connect local businesses, people, ideas, and causes through journalism. Her expertise as an Emmy award-winning producer and penchant for creativity has driven opportunities to uplift and connect leaders in business, science, tech, and the arts through conversations and signature events, including the launch of GlobeDocs film festival, the Curated Conversations lunch series with Boston.com, and the city-wide HubWeek festival in collaboration with MIT, Harvard, and MGH.

BGMP has undergone significant transformation under the ownership of Linda and John Henry. When the Henrys joined the Globe in 2013, the industry, and the Globe in particular, was struggling financially and faced an uncertain future. With the Henrys’ commitment to sustainable, local, independent journalism as the guiding principle, they have assembled a team of experts and leaders from inside and outside of the media industry to rethink and rework every corner of the business and provided the significant ongoing investment needed to drive real transformation. As a result, the Globe has undergone tangible change including the development of a new printing facility, optimized distribution networks, new technology and infrastructure and the launch of new websites, new products and new brands, all optimized to thrive in today’s dynamic media environment. The organization has achieved financial stability and secured the Globe’s position as a leader amongst metro news organizations in the realm of digital subscriptions with approximately 220,000 digital-only subscribers to date.

The Globe’s newsroom remains the largest in New England, and has expanded significantly into both new markets and new industries with the launch of STAT News in 2015 and with the creation of the Globe’s Rhode Island bureau in 2019. These investments in core journalism have fostered growth and deepened expertise within the organization’s three independent but collaborative newsrooms - The Boston Globe, Boston.com, and STAT - which serve local, national, and international readers. BGMP currently employs over 300 journalists across its newsrooms and plans to grow that number over the next several years as the organization continues to add new beats and more inclusive coverage areas to better represent the diverse communities within Greater Boston and the region. The Globe’s Rhode Island bureau is on track to more than double in size in 2021. In Massachusetts, the Globe has long served as the principal watchdog over state and local government, routinely filing more public records appeals than any other organization or individual; the Globe has prevailed on nearly every one of the substantive appeals decided this year.

Said Linda Henry, “I feel really lucky to be able to work every day at a place that I love, doing work that I know is critically important and impactful to a community I care deeply about. I believe so strongly in the Globe's mission and that quality, independent journalism is a cornerstone of democracy - particularly at the local level - and am grateful for our incredible team of leaders who are poised to keep the Globe on a course for growth, innovation, and sustainability. I care deeply about the well-being of our community and find nothing more gratifying than convening others who are invested in Boston’s future. Together, we will continue to grow and develop our people, products, and technology to better engage our readers, grow our business, and ensure that the Globe continues to serve our community and our mission for years to come.”

With an eye on growth and long-term sustainability, Henry and the leadership team have defined a scope of unique responsibilities for several positions within the Globe’s current executive team that will guide Boston Globe Media during its next phase of innovation. The organization recently welcomed new members to its executive leadership team: Chief Marketing Officer Peggy Byrd and Michelle Micone, Vice President of Innovation and Strategic Initiatives. In addition, several current executive-level positions are expanding to include additional responsibilities and will manage core areas of investment in business operations, media expansion, and organizational communications and design.

Dhiraj Nayar, currently the CFO of BGMP, will assume the additional role of Chief Operating Officer. In this dual COO/CFO role, Nayar will have responsibility for the development and oversight of the company’s finances, business operations and administration. Additionally, Nayar will collaborate closely with the CEO in setting the organizational vision and operational strategy and will help develop and execute the company’s business plan to enhance performance and growth.

Dan Krockmalnic, BGMP’s General Counsel, will also assume the function of EVP, New Media. In this role, Krockmalnic will lead the company’s efforts to develop projects for television, film, podcasts, and other media, working in close collaboration with BGMP’s newsrooms and other key stakeholders. He will also continue his leadership on legislative and advocacy issues affecting the news publishing business.

Claudia Henderson, BGMP’s Chief People Officer, will also assume the role of EVP of Organizational Design and Strategic Communications. In this role, she will continue to lead and execute all people-related programs, talent management and benefits and will provide leadership for inclusion efforts across the company. She will also serve as a key advisor on communication strategies, providing guidance and thought leadership on organizational design and planning across the company.

Anthony Bonfiglio, formerly VP of Engineering, Product, IT will assume the role of Chief Technology Officer. In addition to leading the Globe’s technology operation, he will work closely with the newsroom on product and project ideas to improve the ways the Globe communicates with its readers.

Tom Brown, formerly Senior Director, Consumer Revenue, will assume the role of Vice President, Consumer Analytics. He will continue to lead a thoughtful and data-driven approach to exploring new ways of sustaining and growing the Globe’s successful subscription business.

These expanded responsibilities reflect BGMP’s strategic plan to continue strengthening its core business while directing effort and resources towards future growth and innovation. “Our Senior Leadership Team includes a combination of individuals with vast experience both inside and outside of the news industry and together, these leaders will enable and empower all Globe employees to do what they do best, which is to produce the high-quality journalism that has helped make the Globe an outlier among daily metros,” said Linda Henry, adding, “Boston is an incredible city. The energy here is palpable, and the ideas and work of the people here continually inspire me. Bostonians are intent on building the future, whether it be through science, technology, artistic pursuits, or any other avenue, and there’s real power in the spirit of collaboration that lives here. Boston Globe Media tells the stories of their breakthroughs and provides platforms where ideas from these thought leaders are shared and discussed, and this dialogue places our organization at the center of the action.”

Linda Henry has also served as chairwoman of The Boston Globe Foundation, prioritizing a commitment to serving the community through a variety of core programs that provide support to children and families throughout the region. Some of the impactful legacy programs include the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and MLK Scholars. In its 65th year, the foundation’s signature program, Globe Santa, has raised more than $50 million and provided gifts to 2.8 million children from 1.2 million families in Massachusetts. This year, the program will directly deliver holiday joy with books, educational toys, and winter gear to over 30,000 children in need.

“I firmly believe that part of our core mission is to leverage our role as a catalytic convener, leaning into the function of local journalism to inform and connect readers to news and networks within our community. The Globe, Boston.com, STAT News, and the related social platforms and events programming from our family of brands serve as ties that bind our communities and each have a significant role to play. Together, these platforms convey the vibrancy of our people and institutions, foster ideas, and help shape the future of this region. I look forward to working across our organization and with leaders in our city and industry to ensure that our institution and the people it serves continue to grow and thrive.”

A native of Massachusetts, Linda Henry holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Babson College, a Masters Degree from MIT, an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Babson College, and will complete a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School in 2021. She is a partner in Fenway Sports Group and serves on several impactful boards across the region and internationally, though she would say that her most important role is being a great mom to her two children.

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