Variety Promotes Michelle Fine-Smith to Senior VP of Global Consumer Partnerships

variety.com:

Variety Staff Follow Us on Twitter Variety has promoted Michelle Fine-Smith to Senior VP of Global Consumer Partnerships. Based in New York, Fine-Smith manages Variety’s consumer teams on both coasts, overseeing sales across digital, social, branded content, print and live and virtual events.

She has driven multiplatform programs for such top brands as Audible, DirecTV, Cadillac, City National Bank, Chanel, Google, Meta, TikTok and United Airlines.

She joined Variety in 2008 and continues to report to Michelle Sobrino-Stearns, CEO and Group Publisher of Variety. “Michelle has transformed consumer brand partnerships for Variety with creative initiatives that integrate our diverse portfolio,” Sobrino-Stearns said. “Her passion, leadership and collaborative approach drove Variety in 2022 to the most successful year ever for our global consumer business.” Since Fine-Smith took over management of consumer sales, Variety‘s activity in this area has grown by 50%.

She was most recently promoted to VP in 2018. Fine-Smith has been a key player in the transformation of the industry’s most-read business news brand since its acquisition in 2012 by Penske Media Corp. “I am extremely honored to take on this new role and thankful to both Michelle Sobrino-Stearns and (PMC chief executive) Jay Penske for their continued support,” Fine-Smith said. “As I embark on my 15- year anniversary with Variety, I am incredibly proud that 2022 was a record-breaking year for our business and look forward to growing our global partnerships in 2023 and beyond.” Before coming to Variety, Fine-Smith worked as sponsorship sales director for Billboard and as sponsorship sales manager for Forbes Media.