Manchester HQ’d social publisher LADbible Group has announced the appointment of Nick Speakman, former global head of social media at Manchester United, as its new director of social.
Nick will lead a dynamic team of social media experts and creatives, driving social-first content innovation across the world’s biggest digital platforms. Based in Manchester, he will oversee LADbible Group’s social strategy, across all brands and platforms, to create engaging, original content that resonates with LADbible’s global audience of 503m followers. Nick will report directly to Ben Elshaw, chief operating officer.
Previously, Nick oversaw Manchester United’s global social media strategy, managing content ideation, editorial direction, and brand partnerships for the club’s 280m followers across men’s, women’s and academy channels. Before that, he founded football and sports news site BBC Sporf, later rebranded as SPORF after its acquisition by The Social Chain, where he became head of brand.
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New hire Speakman said: “LADbible Group is the world’s biggest and most influential social publisher, engaging millions of people daily and collaborating with the world’s biggest brands. I’m honoured to join such a trailblazing team, at the start of an exciting chapter for the business, and take on my biggest career challenge yet.”
COO Elshaw added: “Nick brings an incredible depth of experience in social content innovation and audience engagement. His expertise will be invaluable as we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in social-first storytelling. We’re excited to welcome him to the team and ensure that LADbible’s brands continue to set the standard in digital entertainment.”
Founded in 2012, LADbible Group has redefined entertainment and news for a social generation. With a global presence, and offices in the UK, Ireland and Australia, LADbible Group has grown to become one of the biggest social publishers in the world with a global audience approaching a billion. The digital publisher has its headquarters in Manchester, alongside further offices in London, Dublin, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland. Its leading website brands include LADbible, UNILAD, GAMINGbible, SPORTbible, and Tyla, among many others.
