Julie Macnamara: Last News

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Julie McNamara, one of Spotify‘s top podcast content execs, is leaving the company, Variety has confirmed. McNamara, who joined the company in 2021, most recently served as VP and global head of podcast studios. She oversaw Spotify Studios, which consolidated the Parcast and Gimlet groups producing original podcasts, as well as licensed podcast deals with partners including Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper (“Call Her Daddy”) and Emma Chamberlain.

Whitney Cinkala Variety returns with its annual Entertainment and Technology Summit, presented by City National Bank, on Sept. 21 in Los Angeles and streaming virtually. Recently added speakers include Ynon Kreiz, chairman and CEO of Mattel; and Charles D.

Trevor Noah has his sights set on the world of podcasting.

Trevor Noah is moving into podcasting.

Spotify is cutting 200 jobs, about 2% of its workforce, in a revamp of its podcast business.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Spotify is undertaking a “strategic realignment” of its podcast division, laying off about 200 staffers. Sahar Elhabashi, Spotify’s VP, head of podcast business, announced the job cuts in a memo to employees Monday that was shared publicly. The 200 employees represents about 2% of the audio streamer’s worldwide workforce. The layoffs come after Spotify cut 6% of its total headcount earlier this year and saw the exit of Dawn Ostroff, chief content and advertising business officer, who had previously headed Spotify’s podcast business “We are expanding our partnership efforts with leading podcasters from across the globe with a tailored approach optimized for each show and creator,” Elhabashi wrote. “This fundamental pivot from a more uniform proposition will allow us to support the creator community better. However, doing so requires adapting; over the past few months, our senior leadership team has worked closely with HR to determine the optimal organization for this next chapter. As a result, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to make a strategic realignment of our group and reduce our global podcast vertical and other functions by approximately 200 people, or 2% of Spotify’s workforce.”

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Max Cutler, one of Spotify’s most senior podcast execs, is departing the streamer after nearly four years with the company. Cutler, who has served as Spotify’s VP, head of talk creator content and partnerships, will be leaving the company to “return his entrepreneurial roots,” according to a source close to Spotify. He had joined Spotify in 2019 with its acquisition of Parcast, the scripted podcast studio he co-founded. Cutler will remain at Spotify until May 1. With Cutler’s exit, Spotify head of global podcast studios Julie McNamara is assuming leadership of licensed podcast exclusives, which include its deals with Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper (“Call Her Daddy”) and Emma Chamberlain.

Spotify has named new managing directors for its Gimlet and Parcast podcast studios the day after news that it plans to cancel a combined 11 original podcasts and eliminate about 5% of its podcast headcount.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Spotify has appointed new managing directors for its Gimlet and Parcast podcast studios — Nicole Beemsterboer and Liliana Kim, respectively — coming amid the company’s cancellation of 11 original podcasts from the two divisions. Spotify elevated Beemsterboer (above left), a former longtime NPR exec who joined Spotify this year, to the role of Gimlet’s managing director. She takes over for Lydia Polgreen, who left Spotify this spring to rejoin the New York Times as an opinion columnist. Prior to joining as Gimlet’s head of news and knowledge in March, Beemsterboer spent more than 15 years at NPR as a producer where she led the creation and reorganization of the public media org’s first longform podcast unit, the Enterprise Storytelling Unit. At NPR, Beemsterboer worked on shows including “Embedded,” “Invisibilia” and “White Lies.”

Meghan Markle unveiled the first episode of her new Spotify podcast Archetypes, welcoming debut guest Serena Williams and promising a series “where we dissect, explore, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back.”

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSpotify is making management changes to bolster the leadership of its podcast content operations following the departure of Courtney Holt, who served as head of studios and video.Max Cutler, who joined Spotify in 2019 with its acquisition of Parcast, the scripted podcast studio he co-founded, has been promoted to head of talk creator content and partnerships for Spotify. In the new role, he will oversee the streamer’s emerging podcast creator ecosystem, licensed content, and work on new content initiatives. As part of his appointment, Spotify will form a “creator content” unit led by Cutler.Cutler previously was Parcast’s head of new content initiatives and managing director.

In the wake of last month’s news of Courtney Holt’s exit from Spotify, the company has made several moves in its exec structure as it continues to expand in podcasting and creator-driven content.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSpotify is making management changes to bolster the leadership of its podcast content operations following the departure of Courtney Holt, who served as head of studios and video.Max Cutler, who joined Spotify in 2019 with its acquisition of Parcast, the scripted podcast studio he co-founded, has been promoted to head of talk creator content and partnerships for Spotify. In the new role, he will oversee the streamer’s emerging podcast creator ecosystem, licensed content, and work on new content initiatives. As part of his appointment, Spotify will form a “creator content” unit led by Cutler.Cutler previously was Parcast’s head of new content initiatives and managing director.

Spotify executive Courtney Holt is exiting the streaming giant after a four-and-a-half-year run.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorCourtney Holt, a top executive in Spotify’s podcasting business and a four-year veteran of the company, is leaving the streaming giant, a source close to the situation has confirmed to Variety. The source said that Holt’s departure was his decision and is amicable, and that he will stay on as an advisor to the company for the next several months at least.

Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex is to host a podcast series about the common stereotypes that have historically generalized women as the first project from her and Prince Harry’s Archewell Audio after striking a multi-million dollar deal with Spotify.

While Spotify has risen to become a podcasting power, particularly through acquisitions of production companies like Gimlet Media, Parcast and The Ringer, it has decided to shut down its own in-house studio.