Business News
Hearst Corporation Names Beth Polish Director of Corporate Innovation
Wednesday 17. June 2009 - Beth Polish has been named director of Corporate Innovation for Hearst Corporation and senior vice president of Hearst Interactive Media.
In this newly created position, Polish is developing and leading an employee innovation program focusing on inspiring Hearst’s nearly 20,000 employees, across more than 200 businesses, to develop their creative business ideas into profitable ventures with the support of the company.
The Corporate Innovation function debuted in April and operates within Hearst Interactive Media, headed by President Kenneth A. Bronfin. It receives support and leadership from Hearst Corporation Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Frank A. Bennack, Jr., and Chief Legal and Development Officer James M. Asher.
Bennack said in launching the Innovation program: “Innovation has always been important at Hearst. From redefining journalism to branding magazines to HDTV, our history is the story of entrepreneurs. What’s new here is that we have not had a single, formal process before now to encourage, support and transform great ideas from our employees into actual Hearst businesses.”
Commenting on the appointment, Bronfin said, “We will use this program to drive innovative and entrepreneurial thinking across the company–and will then provide the resources to take great new business concepts and turn them into profitable ventures. Beth recognizes the unique opportunity we have to work with our talent at Hearst to create new businesses.”
Polish has held senior management positions in media, finance, private investment and technology. She was president of Anthony Robbins’ Dreamlife, Inc., founding CFO of iVillage, Inc., CFO of Goldman Sachs Ventures, and managing director at KPMG.
Polish is the creator and author of the multi-media program Business Plan Power: Creating a Tool that Works for Your Company and the DROOM(R) (Don’t Run Out Of Money) primer series, In The Market For Money. A frequent speaker on the subject of strategies for growth, Polish teaches entrepreneurship at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. She serves on the executive committee of the Women’s Leadership Exchange and is the past co-chair of the New York New Media Association’s Venture Downtown Technology Showcase Conference. Polish has an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
“Building great ideas into thriving businesses is the cornerstone of my work and personal passion,” Polish said. “I am delighted to be leading Corporate Innovation at Hearst, providing a platform for the company’s growth through employee innovation.”