Our Take
Anthony's hire signals The Independent sees untapped commercial upside in its editorial credibility, not a strategic pivot toward new audiences.
Why it matters
The Independent is a 40-year-old brand competing for audience attention in a fragmented media landscape. Leadership changes at regional presidents shape how legacy publishers monetise existing trust.
Do this week
If you're a brand agency pitching The Independent: map the new finance, travel, and tech verticals Anthony plans to build before your next pitch so you can align placements with growth areas.
Chris Anthony takes North America operations
The Independent named Chris Anthony president of North American operations, effective June 8, reporting to global CEO Christian Broughton. Anthony will oversee the region's full P&L, including content and commercial businesses.
Anthony arrives from Gallery Media Group, where he spent four years as chief revenue officer and chief client officer of Tamara Group (formed under VaynerX). Earlier roles include posts at Group Nine, PopSugar, and Disney. He replaces Zach Schwartz, who transitions to focus on the company's philanthropy work.
The play is commercial, not editorial
Anthony framed the opportunity as underexploited: "There's a huge commercial opportunity that I think is untapped." He plans to lean on lifestyle media experience to develop revenue streams in finance, travel, and tech, where The Independent already sees audience growth (company-reported).
His agenda includes three concrete initiatives. First, experiential and events partnerships around cultural tentpoles like SXSW, Art Basel, and Davos. Second, creator-led journalism through both internal talent brand-building and external creator partnerships in finance and travel verticals. Third, social strategy alignment across YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels, informed by his VaynerX background.
At GMG, Anthony was part of teams that developed an events-for-content model, fast-twitch content marketing, and text-to-shop commerce. The Independent, a print-free outlet since 2016, has shown appetite for format experimentation, though a 40-year-old brand operates with less leeway than a startup.
What advertisers and agency partners should watch
Anthony's focus on underexploited commercial upside means The Independent will likely push harder on vertical-specific sponsorships and creator partnerships. Agencies pitching travel, finance, or tech should expect more structured vertical offerings in the coming months. The events strategy signals willingness to move beyond display and native advertising into experiential deals. Watch whether the creator strategy becomes a direct-to-brand sales channel or stays editorial.