Long-time technology PR professional and former Director of Corporate Communications for Cyber giant CrowdStrike, Andy Sommers, has hung out his shingle as The Sommer Agency. Sommer announced the move on LinkedIn last week and told Influencing he had been hugely appreciative of the support he'd received and encouraged by the interest so far. "I'm looking forward to exploring where The Sommer Agency can go from here," he said. Sommers said his agency would offer communications, PR content and strategic advice for all levels of business. "Starting my own agency business has been a dream for a while," he said. Sommer has over 25 years of experience, primarily in the tech sector where he has worked in-house at Crowdstrike,  Aconex and then its acquirer Oracle,  Zendesk and Adobe. He was a former Group Director of PPR.

The Tribune Trust has appointed Jyoti Malhotra as the Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Group, making her the first woman to hold this position, Influencing India has confirmed.  Jyoti brings a wealth of experience, having worked in senior editorial roles at India Today, Indian Express, The Print, and Star News.   Jyoti is renowned for her insightful writings on the political, diplomatic, and cultural dynamics of the Indian subcontinent, with a particular focus on Pakistan and Afghanistan.  She has also been a regular contributor for BBC Radio.   She will officially assume her new role on May 14, succeeding Rajesh Ramachandran.

Times Network has welcomed Nikhil Lakhwani as its new Correspondent. Nikhil will focus on covering breaking stories and news of public interest, Influencing India has confirmed.  Nikhil expressed his excitement about the new role on LinkedIn, stating, "After successful stints at CNN-News18, India Today/Aajtak, I am associated with another leading media brand at Times Network starting today."  With prior experience as a News Reporter at India Today and as a Correspondent at CNN-News18, Nikhil brings a wealth of experience in covering similar beats. He completed his PG Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from India Today Media Institute in 2019.   

The Australian Financial Review, the country's leading premium business masthead, is transitioning to a digital-only news format in Western Australia due to a significant increase in printing costs. After seven decades of distributing a printed newspaper in Western Australia, the Financial Review is shifting its focus to enhance the digital offering for WA readers and subscribers on afr.com. This includes upgrading the 'today's newspaper' digital version and continuing distribution of premium magazines, stated a press release. Tory Maguire, Managing Director of Nine Publishing, clarified that this decision only affects Western Australia and will not impact the papers and magazines in the rest of the country. "We work very constructively with the printers of our newspapers and magazines to ensure the long-term sustainability of our print products, which continue to be profitable. Fortunately, the Financial Review is an incredibly successful digital publication, which has allowed us

ABC Great Southern has announced that Paul Cook has assumed the role of Breakfast program host in Albany, transitioning from his popular Saturday Breakfast slot. Cook, who has been with the ABC for over two years, expressed his enthusiasm for the new role. 'I love this region and the ABC audience loves it too. I can’t wait to continue sharing the stories of this amazing region we call home,' he said, highlighting his eagerness to connect with locals and share their stories each morning. ABC Great Southern Editor John Dobson praised Cook, stating, "Paul loves the Great Southern patch and its people. He is a talented broadcaster and just great company in the mornings." With over three decades of radio experience across Australia, Cook aims to engage and entertain his audience with his passion, music, and news, while also exploring the diverse offerings of the Great Southern region. Listeners can tune in to Paul Cook's Breakfast show every weekday morning from 6:30 am to 8:00 am vi

Emily Macdonald has returned to News Corp Australia as a journalist after a brief tenure as a substitute teacher at Hannah Senesh Community Day School in the US. In her new capacity, she will be based in New York and be responsible for covering United States and World News for The Daily Telegraph, The Herald Sun, and The Courier-Mail. With a strong background in multimedia journalism, Emily has previously worked in NYC, delivering international news for the same organisation where she has worked for over 15 years. Expressing her excitement for this new opportunity, Macdonald shared on LinkedIn, 'Very excited to be coming back to News Corp Australia as a reporter based in NYC!' Emily's extensive experience includes her tenure as a cadet at the Townsville Bulletin, where she covered a wide range of topics from general news to politics, crime, education, fashion, food, lifestyle, and real estate. She spent five years as a defence reporter, embedding with troops across the globe. Liste

Esther Han has embarked on a new journey as the Digital Engagement Editor at The Australian Financial Review, where she will collaborate with the digital team to expand the publication's audience and innovate storytelling methods. Expressing her enthusiasm on LinkedIn, Han shared, "I’m excited to share that I’ve joined The Australian Financial Review as its new Digital Engagement Editor. I’ll be working with its stellar digital team to help grow its audience and find exciting new ways to tell its best stories." She bid farewell to her colleagues at The Sydney Morning Herald after 12 years, expressing gratitude for the experiences and growth she gained there. Previously, Esther served as the Homepage Editor at The Sydney Morning Herald and worked as a News Operations Assistant at ABC, and as a Reporter for 2SER Community Radio, bringing a wealth of experience in digital journalism to her new role. Listeners can connect with Esther via ehan@afr.com to share news and ideas.