Forth, who first joined the business in an interim capacity in January, will be responsible for Hearst UK’s corporate communications agenda, as well as handling external communications across Hearst UK’s 21 brands which include Good Housekeeping, ELLE, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Esquire and Digital Spy.
Forth’s remit will also incorporate internal communications for the UK arm of Hearst, whose employees work across sites including House of Hearst in London’s Leicester Square, St Anne’s Court in Soho, the Hearst Institute in Feltham and regional offices in Manchester. She will report directly into interim CEO, Simon Horne, sitting on the executive leadership team, and heading up a recently restructured PR and communications team. Ben Bolton was made head of PR and communications in October 2021, with Calum Forbes promoted to senior PR & communications manager for entertainment & wellness in May this year. Cristina Wyatt has assumed the role of PR & communications manager for luxury, with Grace Walker recently appointed PR & communications manager for homes & lifestyle.
The team will also handle PR for Hearst UK’s events, including Good Housekeeping Live, which takes place for the first time this autumn, the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year Awards, and the Bazaar at Work events franchise as well as promoting new experiential division, HearstX, which will bring Hearst UK’s brand experiences to a multi-platform audience.
Simon Horne, interim CEO at Hearst UK, commented: “Alison is an extremely experienced PR and communications practitioner, and has already proved to be an invaluable asset to the Hearst UK team during her interim tenure. Her depth of experience working with multiple global brands, and on an international level, gives her the strategic outlook required for the role. She’s a brilliant addition to Hearst UK, and I’m looking forward to continuing to work with her and the talented team around her.”
Alison Forth said: “It’s a very exciting time in Hearst UK’s evolution as we continue to innovate, and it’s a privilege to represent Hearst UK’s portfolio of iconic brands. I’m looking forward to ensuring our premium content continues to reach highly engaged audiences across multiple platforms, elevating our all-important commercial partnerships, and continuing our journey to maintain an internal culture in which everyone feels like they belong.”
