Julian Delany
Chief Technology Officer at NWSA
Executive
About Julian Delany
Julian Delany, age 53, is Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of News Corp, appointed effective June 30, 2025 after serving as CTO of News Corp Australia since 2020; he holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney and previously worked in live broadcast operations at Foxtel and management roles at The Weather Channel . Company performance in FY2025 included revenues of $8.45B (+2% YoY), Total Segment EBITDA of $1.42B (+14% YoY), net income from continuing operations of $648M (+71% YoY), and free cash flow up 6%, providing the backdrop for executive incentive metrics; the proxy’s pay-versus-performance section also tracks cumulative TSR versus peers and highlights adjusted EBITDA as a key measure . Mr. Delany entered into an employment agreement dated June 20, 2025 and effective June 30, 2025, with a term ending June 30, 2028 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| News Corp Australia | Chief Technology Officer | 2020–Jun 2025 | Delivered technical, process and data alignment across multiple brands and workflows to create an efficient network effect |
| News Corp Australia | Managing Director, digital news, food & lifestyle network | 2015–2020 | Led digital networks; drove product and commercial strategy using data-led insights |
| news.com.au | General Manager | 2012–2015 | Pioneered digital-first newsroom operations and data-led insights |
| The Weather Channel | Management roles | Not disclosed | Media/technology leadership experience |
| Foxtel | Live broadcast operations | Not disclosed | Broadcast operations grounding and systems expertise |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foxtel | Live broadcast operations | Not disclosed | Pre-News Corp Australia experience; relocation to NY in 2025 for CTO role |
| The Weather Channel | Management roles | Not disclosed | Prior management roles in media technology |
Fixed Compensation
- Specific base salary, target bonus %, and perquisites for Mr. Delany were not disclosed in the FY2025 proxy; his employment agreement term runs to June 30, 2028 .
- Stock ownership guideline for CTO is one times base salary; executives have five years from appointment to comply, and “each of the current NEOs” complies or is on track .
Performance Compensation
The Company’s executive incentive architecture (applicable to executive officers) is heavily performance-based.
| Incentive Component | Metric | Weighting | Target Definition | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Incentive | Adjusted Total Segment EBITDA | 2/3 of bonus | Aligned to budget; measurable financial goal | Determined vs targets; not guaranteed | Annual |
| Annual Cash Incentive | Individual Objectives (incl. ESG, ethics/compliance) | 1/3 of bonus | Strategic and ESG objectives | Determined vs targets; not guaranteed | Annual |
| Long-Term Equity | PSUs (Cumulative adjusted EPS) | 40% of PSU score | 3-year performance period | 0–200% of target | Cliff vest after 3 years |
| Long-Term Equity | PSUs (Cumulative adjusted free cash flow) | 40% of PSU score | 3-year performance period | 0–200% of target | Cliff vest after 3 years |
| Long-Term Equity | PSUs (Relative TSR percentile vs S&P 1500 Media) | 20% of PSU score | 3-year performance period | 0–200% of target | Cliff vest after 3 years |
| Long-Term Equity | RSUs | 30% of LTI mix | Time-based | N/A | Ratably over 3 years |
Notes:
- PSUs and RSUs accrue dividend equivalents subject to the same vesting conditions; PSU payout range is 0–200% of target .
- The Company’s most important financial performance measures used to determine compensation actually paid include adjusted Total Segment EBITDA, cumulative adjusted EPS, cumulative adjusted FCF, and relative TSR percentile .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stock Ownership Guideline (CTO) | One times base salary; directly held shares and unvested awards count; 5-year compliance window |
| Compliance Status | “Each of the current NEOs currently complies with or is on track to comply”; CTO is included among roles covered |
| Beneficial Ownership | The FY2025 security ownership table lists directors and NEOs; Mr. Delany was not individually listed (he became CTO on June 30, 2025) |
| Pledging/Hedging | Not specifically disclosed for Mr. Delany in the proxy excerpts reviewed |
| Vesting Cadence (generic) | RSUs vest ratably over three years; PSUs vest after the 3-year period; dividend equivalents vest with underlying awards |
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Appointment & Agreement | Appointed CTO effective June 30, 2025; employment agreement dated June 20, 2025, term ending June 30, 2028 |
| Change-in-Control | None of the NEOs’ employment agreements provides single-trigger benefits solely for change in control |
| Severance Principles | Company provides severance to attract/retain executives; arrangements include confidentiality and restrictive covenants (as evidenced in separation agreements for other executives) |
| Clawbacks | Mandatory recovery policy under Exchange Act Rule 10D-1 for restatements; secondary recoupment policy allows recovery for certain misconduct or restatements |
Performance & Track Record
- Prior achievements include pioneering digital-first newsroom operations, data-led product and commercial strategies, and alignment of technology/process/data across brands to drive network effects at News Corp Australia .
- Company FY2025 results (context for incentive metrics): revenues +2% to $8.45B, Total Segment EBITDA +14% to $1.42B, net income from continuing operations +71% to $648M, free cash flow +6% .
Compensation Peer Group (Benchmarking)
| Peer Group (Fiscal 2025) | Changes (June 2025) |
|---|---|
| Booking Holdings; FactSet; Fox; IAC; Interpublic Group; Liberty Global; Nexstar; Omnicom; Paramount; Sirius XM; TEGNA; Thomson Reuters; Warner Bros. Discovery; Zillow | Added CoStar, RELX, S&P Global; removed TEGNA, Netflix, Paramount, WBD to better align with business focus and size after Foxtel sale |
Say-on-Pay & Shareholder Feedback
- 93.2% of votes cast supported the NEO compensation advisory vote at the 2024 annual meeting; structure maintained for FY2025 following engagement with unaffiliated holders representing >60% of Class A and >30% of Class B .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: CTO role participates in a pay-for-performance program with majority variable compensation tied to EBITDA, EPS, FCF, and relative TSR, with three-year PSU vesting—reducing near-term selling pressure risk and emphasizing long-term value creation .
- Retention: Employment agreement through June 30, 2028 plus 5-year stock ownership compliance window suggests stable retention incentives; no single-trigger change-in-control benefits mitigate windfall risk .
- Monitoring: Beneficial ownership for Mr. Delany was not itemized in FY2025 proxy excerpts; track future proxies and Form 4 filings for equity grants, vesting, and any pledging/transactions to assess alignment and potential selling pressure .
Company FY2025 operating momentum (EBITDA +14%, revenue +2%, FCF +6%) sets a favorable baseline for performance-tied awards instituted during Mr. Delany’s appointment, with clawbacks and ownership guidelines reinforcing governance discipline .