BuzzFeed has hired Samantha Henig, a veteran journalist at the New York Times, as executive director of strategy.
She will be charged with building out new revenue streams and making the company’s news business “sustainable,” Business Insider reports, through initiatives like podcasts, membership products and ad sales.
She formerly served as executive producer of audio for The New York Times — where she helped create its flagship The Daily podcast.
Henig’s role is a new one. She will report directly to BuzzFeed News’ editor-in-chief Ben Smith. “She’s a journalist first, but really understands the landscape of commercial projects that can draw from and expand the journalism,” Smith told Business Insider of the hire.
BuzzFeed News launched as a standalone site in July 2018. The digital publisher, which laid off 15 percent of its staff earlier this year, says it is on track to becoming profitable.
