IE Media, Inc. is a leading, global digital media publisher that covers technology, engineering, and science news. We deliver the most futuristic and cutting-edge developments in these areas to our readers and followers on social media through articles and videos. We have two main brands : Interesting Engineering and Military Mechanics.

IE is a profitable, globally recognized digital media company operating at the intersection of engineering, science, and emerging technology. With approximately $2.5–$3M in annual revenue and 40 team members across Turkey, the UK, India, and the United States, the company is at an inflection point.

Currently, 85% of revenue is derived from programmatic advertising, with heavy reliance on Google and Meta for traffic (approximately 70% search-driven). While profitable, the business is under-monetized, overly dependent on volatile platforms, and experiencing cultural and organizational strain that is impacting performance.

The founder is transitioning out of day-to-day operations and will step aside fully within 45–90 days. The incoming CEO will have full operating authority and a mandate to scale revenue to $10M+ while building a resilient, acquisition-ready business within 2–4 years.

This is a transformation CEO role — not a maintenance position.

Location: Global (Regular presence in Istanbul required)

The next CEO will:

Diversify & Scale Revenue:

• Reduce dependence on programmatic revenue (currently ~85%)
• Build a meaningful direct sales engine
• Develop scalable sponsorship products
• Expand subscription revenue (currently ~2000 subscribers)
• Increase revenue per employee and improve margin efficiency

Future-Proof Distribution in the AI Era:

• Reduce reliance on Google and Meta traffic
• Strengthen owned channels (email, subscriptions, direct)
• Position the company strategically amid AI-driven search disruption
• Optimize programmatic partnerships while building alternative monetization channels

Rebuild Culture & Organizational Performance:

• Stabilize morale and reduce turnover across all levels
• Establish clarity in communication and prioritization
• Implement a scalable organizational structure
• Build a high-performance culture that balances accountability with trust

Prepare for Strategic Exit:

• Professionalize reporting and operational discipline
• Strengthen leadership bench
• Position the company as an attractive acquisition target for:
• Strategic publishers
• Media rollups
• Hybrid SaaS/content platforms

We are seeking a proven digital media executive with:

• Minimum 10+ years in senior leadership roles (CEO, President, GM, CRO, COO)
• Experience scaling digital media businesses in the $5M–$30M revenue range

• Deep expertise in:

• Direct ad sales & sponsorships
• Programmatic optimization
• Audience growth and engagement
• Subscription and recurring revenue models
• Demonstrated success managing distributed, international teams
• Experience operating in founder-led environments
• Strong commercial instincts with hands-on operating capability

This is not a role for a purely corporate executive from a Fortune 500 background. Candidates must have operated in lean, entrepreneurial environments where execution speed and adaptability are critical.

The successful CEO will:

• Be respected by teams and capable of rebuilding trust
• Lead with clarity and structured communication
• Balance high standards with emotional intelligence
• Demonstrate cultural fluency managing teams across Turkey, UK, India, and North America
• Be willing to spend time in Istanbul several times per year to build alignment

The role requires someone who can both stabilize morale and drive aggressive growth.

Organizational Context:

• 40 employees globally + Freelancers
• 4 direct reports (Revenue, Content, Operations, and other senior leaders)
• Product/Marketing and operations teams based primarily in Istanbul
• Recently hired U.S.-based Head of Sales
• UK-based Head of Editorial / Head of Video

Compensation & Incentives:

The incoming CEO will have authority to redesign the organizational structure as needed.

• Competitive monthly salary
• Meaningful equity participation
• Performance-based incentives tied to:
• Revenue growth
• Margin improvement
• Revenue diversification
• Strategic exit value

This role offers significant upside in the event of a successful acquisition within a 2–4 year horizon.

Why This Role Is Compelling:

• Profitable foundation with strong global brand recognition
• Under-monetized audience with meaningful upside
• Clear strategic mandate and founder transition
• Opportunity to build and exit a modern, AI-resilient digital media company
• Ability to step into a true CEO seat with authority

IE is dedicated to supporting its diverse and inclusive staff. IE urges women, people of color, armed forces veterans, people with disabilities, and gender-nonconforming people to apply. IE does not discriminate based on sex, age, race, color, creed, national origin, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, affectional choice, or gender identity. We recognize a person’s unique experiences as points of strength and welcome them as teammates on our team, working in service of the mission to explore and report on engineering, in whatever form it takes.