Extra Shakeups at Spotify’s Podcast Unit — Max Cutler Departing Simply Weeks After Daybreak Ostroff’s Exit
Picture Credit score: Einaz Asadi
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Extra shakeups are headed for Spotify’s podcast division after Daybreak Ostroff’s departure. Max Cutler, Head of Audio Speak Reveals & partnerships is departing to start out a brand new enterprise.
Based on an organization memo obtained by Bloomberg, Cutler will depart his place on Could 1. That intently follows the departure of Daybreak Ostroff, who oversaw content material and promoting for Spotify’s podcast division and is credited with bringing Joe Rogan to the platform. Spotify says the podcast division will reorganize additional after Cutler’s Could 1 departure.
No particulars about Cutler’s new enterprise had been launched, however Cutler notes he believes the “future is shiny at Spotify.” Max Cutler joined Spotify after it acquired the Parcast community in 2019 for $55 million. Whereas at Spotify, Cutler helped oversee offers and partnerships like these established with Joe Rogan and Emma Chamberlain and Alex Cooper.
“With the normal media trade ripe for disruption, I’m excited to tackle this new problem and drive innovation ahead,” Cutler says within the memo. “I’m deeply grateful to Daniel, Alex, and Sahar for his or her unwavering assist of my choice to return to my entrepreneurial roots as I embark on this subsequent chapter.
Digital Music Information has reported on the slimming down of Spotify’s podcast ambitions since late 2022. In November of that yr, Spotify canceled 11 new podcasts and laid off round 40 individuals who labored on these reveals.
Now with Max Cutler formally departing, Julie McNamara will supervise licensed exclusives as properly. Bryan Thoensen will oversee content material partnerships with third-party creators. Thoensen joined Spotify final yr after departing TikTok.
Spotify’s huge gamble on podcasts hasn’t actually paid off thus far, which CEO Daniel Ek acknowledges. He says he believes the $1 billion+ spend on buying podcast expertise and expertise was the fitting transfer, however admits the corporate “most likely received just a little carried away and over-invested relative to the uncertainty [Spotify] noticed shaping up available in the market.”
The podcasting vertical isn’t the success Spotify thought it will be in 2019, so now it’s slimming down. Gimlet Co-Founder Alex Blumberg additionally quietly departed in 2022 following the spate of canceled reveals.
