Economist hires chief tech officer, chief product officer

The Economist Group announced Tuesday that it has hired Michael Fleshman as chief technology officer and Liz Goulding as as chief product officer.

Both will report to Chief Executive Officer Lara Boro.

Digital revenues now represent two-thirds of total Economist revenues. More than half of the subscribers to The Economist are on digital-only packages, and two-thirds of new customers last year opted for digital-only subscriptions.

“I am delighted to welcome Liz and Michael to the senior leadership team,” said Boro in a statement. “Technology is a central driver of our growth strategy, and their combined technology, global experience and customer-centered approach will help us reach our broader global ambitions.”

Fleshman was chief technology officer at HOOQ, a joint-venture of Singtel, Warner Pictures and Sony Pictures, where he led product and technology teams based in Singapore, Indonesia, India, Thailand and the Philippines to create one of Southeast Asia’s leading content streaming platforms.

Goulding joins The Economist Group from Discovery Inc. where she was group vice president for its sports products. At Discovery she brought cutting edge live content to a global audience for three Olympic Games and a host of premier sports, such as cycling tours and tennis grand slams. She was responsible for delivering the first digital Olympics across Europe, ensuring every moment of the Games was available across multiple digital platforms.