McLEAN, VA – Maryam Banikarim has been named senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Gannett Co., Inc.(NYSE:GCI), a newly created position, Gracia C. Martore, president and chief operating officer announced. Banikarim will be responsible for all companywide marketing, communications and research efforts. She will also be a member of the Gannett Management Committee.
She joins Gannett from NBCUniversal where she was senior vice president of integrated sales marketing responsible for working across NBCUniversal’s portfolio to develop custom, innovative ad sales solutions on behalf of clients as well as overseeing marketing for NBCUniversal and the company’s cross-platform initiatives including Women at NBCU, Green is Universal and Healthy at NBCU. Previously Banikarim served as the chief marketing officer of Univision Communications Inc.
“Maryam is an outstanding marketing executive with a proven track record of success across a wide range of media,” Martore said. “She understands how a media company can be an effective marketing partner for its clients which is key to our solutions based sales efforts. Maryam’s creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and ability to make things happen will help us continue to drive growth across the company.”
“I am excited to be joining the exceptional and dynamic team at Gannett and to be part of the company’s transformation strategy,” said Banikarim. “The company’s powerful brands across broadcast, digital, mobile and publishing afford advertisers reach and engagement but also national and local insights into today’s consumers, something that is increasingly important to marketers. This is an incredibly exciting time for all of us in the media business and being part of a team committed to paving the way forward is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Banikarim also owned and managed her own consulting firm where she provided management and marketing consulting services to a variety of clients, including Time Warner, Deutsche Bank, and Bacardi Ltd. Banikarim’s experience also includes roles as Publisher at Macmillan Publishing, General Manager and Marketing Director of CitySearch and an Account Planner in the first integrated marketing solutions group at Turner Broadcasting. She began her marketing career in account management at Young & Rubicam.
Maryam holds a B.A. degree in political science from Barnard College where she won the Harry S. Truman scholarship. She also holds an M.B.A. and a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University and sits on the boards of Advertising Week, Promax, God’s Love We Deliver and the Mt. Sinai Adolescent Health Center.
Banikarim was recently selected by CableFAX for their “Most Influential Minorities in Cable” list (2010). In 2009, Multi-channel News named her as a “Women to Watch. “ She was also selected by the New York Post as one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in New York” (2008) and in Crain’s New York Business’ 2008 “40 under 40” list as an outstanding individual who has made a major impact in her industry before the age of 40. In 2006 she was selected as one of Advertising Age’s “40 under 40” list of youthful stars who are change leaders in the marketing arena. And in March of 2006, Ms. Banikarim earned a place on the Fast Company’s “Fast Fifty” list of corporate trailblazers and trendsetters.
About Gannett
Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) is an international news and information company operating on multiple platforms including the Internet, mobile, newspapers, magazines and TV stations. Gannett is an Internet leader with hundreds of newspaper and TV web sites; CareerBuilder.com, the nation’s top employment site; USATODAY.com; and more than 80 local MomsLikeMe.com sites. Gannett publishes 82 daily U.S. newspapers, including USA TODAY, the nation’s largest-selling daily newspaper, and more than 600 magazines and other non-dailies including USA WEEKEND. Gannett also operates 23 television stations in 19 U.S. markets. Gannett subsidiary Newsquest is one of the UK’s leading regional community news providers, with 17 daily paid-for titles, more than 200 weekly newspapers, magazines and trade publications, and a network of web sites.
