Michelle Sobrino-Stearns has been promoted to group publisher and chief revenue officer of Variety from her previous role as publisher. In her new post, Sobrino-Stearns will be responsible for driving all of the revenue for PMC-owned Variety and Indiewire across all platforms including print, digital, video, social and events. She will oversee the global sales and marketing teams as well as collaborate with the editorial features departments for both brands to develop more than 250 feature sections a year .
“Michelle continues to break new ground, not only at Variety but also across the entertainment industry. Her deep understanding and commitment to our industry, combined with her innovative approach, is key as we continue the evolution of both Variety and Indiewire,” said Jay Penske, CEO of Variety’s parent company PMC.
Under Sobrino-Stearns’ tenure as publisher at Variety since 2012, the publication has seen tremendous growth. Print revenue, which industry-wide has fallen nearly 35%, has increased at Variety by nearly 10%, while digital advertising and data revenue has seen exponential growth of 367% at Variety.com and Variety Insight. Sobrino has additionally built an events, conferences and summits business that delivers over 40 events a year and revenue has doubled under her leadership.
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“We couldn’t have a better business partner than Michelle,” said Variety co-editor-in-chiefs Claudia Eller and Andrew Wallenstein. “She is a dynamo in every respect and a class act.”
Sobrino-Stearns first joined Variety in 1997 and has risen through the ranks and implemented numerous innovative brand franchises including Variety’s Power of Women event series held twice a year in New York and Los Angeles. The luncheon honors five notable women in entertainment that have contributed greatly to their chosen philanthropic organization. Her annual Dealmakers breakfast features a conversation between Eller and a top ranking executive in the business sector of entertainment. Additionally, Sobrino-Stearns was the mastermind behind Variety’s Emmy award-winning series, “Actors on Actors,” which airs on PBS bi-annually.
