He brings a wealth of expertise spanning organisational design, leadership development, ED&l, employee experience, and talent acquisition.

With over 30 years of HR leadership experience having worked across both large corporations, including HarperCollins and Time Warner, as well as start-up scale-ups, Athanasiou specialises in developing inclusive people strategies and fostering positive cultures that drive growth.

As Director of People at HarperCollins, Athanasiou was part of the leadership team that achieved 11 consecutive years of year-on-year growth during a period of transformation.

Athanasiou has also been recognised with a number of industry awards in company culture, ED&l, and learning and development.

Katie Vanneck-Smith, CEO, Hearst UK, said: “John has a proven track record of fostering positive cultures conducive to innovation and high performance. He is an accomplished, commercially savvy leader and I’m excited to have him join our business.”

Athanasiou added: “Hearst UK is a media powerhouse with a portfolio of world-famous brands and incredible people, and I’m looking forward to working with such a strong foundation. By continuing to invest in our culture and further optimising our talent, we can make Hearst UK a standout business, admired for its heart and focused on delivering long-term growth.”