Bauer Media today announced the appointment of Kaushala Ratnayake to the newly created position of Head of Strategy for the UK Publishing Business. She will report directly to Chris Duncan CEO of UK Publishing and have a dual reporting line into Carsten Schicker, Head of Group Strategy for Bauer Media Group.

Kaushala joins Bauer Media from the BBC where she held the position of Strategy Manager responsible for managing strategic projects which influenced the BBC's long term future helping to advise BBC leadership on how their products and services should evolve.

As an accomplished strategist with five and half years’ experience gained at the BBC, Deloitte Consulting and technology start-ups, Kaushala is passionate about unlocking strategic insight that drives the future of products and services in the media and technology industries.

Prior to the BBC, Kaushala was Senior Consultant at Deloitte in her native New Zealand, where she led and advised on C-level strategic engagements across a range of industries including, Technology, Media, Banking, Health and Public Sector. She previously held a number of Strategy roles in science and technology and start-up businesses, and was the youngest Board member selected to sit on the leading science and technology investment board for a venture capitalist.

In the newly created role of Head of Strategy Kaushala will focus on identifying, analysing and resolving strategic issues, whilst leveraging Bauer Media’s global brands and different levers in the business. In addition, she will evaluate new revenue ideas and strategic options for further business development.

Chris Duncan, CEO of the UK Publishing Business commented: “Business models are evolving fast in publishing and to succeed we need clear strategies for growth that are backed up by relentless execution. Kaushala has a track record of development and delivery across different sectors and technologies and will bring new skills to the leadership team as we look forward to 2021 and beyond.”

Kaushala Ratnayake, said: “I am delighted to take on this role and excited to be joining Bauer at such a transformative time. I look forward to working with the highly experienced and passionate team to tackle strategic issues and shape the future of the UK publishing business.”

Kaushala will take up her position with immediate effect (Monday 19 October 2020).