Wondery UK has hired Spotify executive Chris Bowen as its new head of podcasts. He will join the company on April 29th and will be based in London.
Mr Bowen will take up the role recently vacated by Rich Knight, who has moved to BBC Studios.
Mr Bowen will report to Wonderly's head of international podcast content, Jessica Radburn, and will oversee the production and development pipeline of UK originals and UK collaborators. His remit also includes expanding Wondery's slate of content, working with local talent, producers and writers, and diversifying into new genres carefully selected for the UK market.
Mr. Bowen was previously Head of Studio for Spotify UK and Ireland, driving the content strategy across original and licensed podcasts, including 'The Louis Theroux Podcast', 'Parenting Hell', 'JaackMaate' and 'The Receipts'. I worked on projects such as.
He previously worked as head of podcasts at Global, where he commissioned shows such as “Hunting Ghislaine” and “My Therapist Ghosted Me,” as well as vice president of content and formats at Deezer and editor-in-chief at Radio X. I was serving.
“Wonderly is at the top of its game when it comes to compelling, engaging and immersive storytelling,” Bowen said. “To say I'm excited to join this great team is an understatement. I can't wait to be a part of the next chapter of their story.”
Wondery has been steadily expanding its footprint in the UK, launching its subscription service Wondery+ in the market this week. The service offers subscriber-only content, ad-free viewing, and early access to new episodes, including shows like the launched “The Price of Paradise.” “Hooked on Freddie” has already reached number one on his Apple Podcasts in the UK last week.
Jen Sargent, CEO of Wondery, said: “The launch of Wondery+ UK expands our commitment to the UK market, collaborating with great local storytellers and talent across all genres to deliver podcast-first storytelling that is relevant and engaging. Our long-term strategy is to serve our local audience. ”
