Group Nine Media Names Former Publicis Exec Adam Shlachter First CMO

Ad agency veteran Adam Shlachter has been hired by Group Nine Media as chief marketing officer for advertising and creative services — a newly-created position.

Shlachter has worked in the agency world for roughly 20 years, Business Insider reports, most recently as president of global innovation at PMX — Publicis Media’s investment arm. He has also held various roles at Lowe, DigitasLBi, and Zenith. As CMO for advertising and creative services, Shlachter will oversee Group Nine’s marketing division, including branded content production and client ad strategy.

Discovery Communications-backed Group Nine Media launched last year and comprises four digital media brands: food and travel-centric Thrillist, social news and politics destination NowThis, The Dodo — which covers all things animals — and Discovery’s Seeker science brand. (Thrillist, NowThis, and The Dodo are all properties of Lerer Hippeau Ventures

). All told, Group Nine — which is reportedly valued at $585 million — says it generates 5 billion monthly video views.

“If you look at the size of our audience and the rate that revenue is moving [from traditional media], there is a meaningful disconnect between the two,” Group Nine CEO Ben Lerer told Business Insider of the hire. “Adam’s here to help us figure out how to package up our marketing programs in a way that money really moves. There’s no better person to do that.”

In July, Group Nine Media named former Democratic National Convention executive April Mellody head of corporate PR.