LONDON: Future plc (LSE: FUTR; “Future” or “the Group”), the global platform for specialist media, today announces the appointment of Kevin Li Ying as Chief Executive Officer. The appointment, which follows a thorough search process, will take effect from 31 March 2025 when Kevin will join the Board of Future.
Kevin joined Future over 20 years ago and has been a key contributor to the successful transformation of the company from a traditional print publisher into a leading global digital media platform of today. Kevin is currently EVP of B2C, the Group’s largest division. In this role he has had full responsibility for all B2C brands, editorial and revenue generation consisting of commercial advertising, ecommerce, subscriptions and newstrade revenue whilst ensuring technology and data are central to the B2C offer.
Prior to this, Kevin was Chief Technology Officer, a position he held for 8 years. In this role, and his earlier role as Chief Technical Architect, Kevin led the development of the Group’s proprietary technology and infrastructure, including the creation of its eCommerce technology.
Kevin is a non-executive director of W.A.G payment solutions plc, the FTSE 250 technology company, a position he has held since March 2024.
Current CEO Jon Steinberg will step down from the Board on 30 March 2025 and will act as Senior Advisor until 30 June 2025 to ensure a smooth transition with Kevin.
Richard Huntingford, Chair, said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Kevin as CEO following a comprehensive search process. Kevin is a strong visionary leader with an unmatched knowledge of the Group, from its tech stack to its revenue streams. In his current role as EVP of B2C, the Group’s largest division, he has been successfully delivering on the execution of the Growth Acceleration Strategy and is therefore perfectly placed to lead the next phase of Future’s growth.
I also want to thank Jon for his contribution to the Group during his tenure and to wish him well for the future.”
Kevin Li Ying, incoming Chief Executive, said: “It is a great honour and a true privilege to have been asked to lead Future, a company that I love and I am proud to have helped to transform over the last 20 years. I look forward to continue to execute on the strategy, and am excited about our growth opportunities, building on our track record of innovation and producing excellent content and products to attract valuable audiences through a platform-agnostic approach. I also want to thank Jon for his leadership and counsel during his time with the Group.”