Vinyl Group has installed Jessica Hunter as the new head of The Brag Media, removing Luke Girgis from the helm of the publishing business he co-founded over seven years ago.

Girgis' exit comes six months after he sold The Brag, which publishes Rolling Stone Australia and Variety Australia amongst other titles, to Vinyl Group for $8 million in cash, with a further $2 million payable in cash or stock based on financial performance. Vinyl Group said the departure followed a "thorough review" of the publishing business, citing $750,000 in savings over the next year.

Hunter, joined The Brag Media as General Manager mid last year. Since her arrival, she has been credited with growing the partnerships team, executing multiple high-value partnership deals and renewals and launching the client-focused event, The Brag Live On Stage. She has previously held leadership roles at Cartology and The Daily Mail.

In her new leadership role, Hunter will lead the day-to-day operations and growth of the business as well as being responsible for higher-level strategy and business outcomes for the company.

"I'm incredibly proud of what we've been able to achieve since I joined The Brag Media. Our business is home to some of the best people in media. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead Australia's largest creator of premium youth content and events through the next phase of growth. I'm grateful to Josh and the Board for their trust and remain motivated to ensure our portfolio of iconic brands and partnerships reach their full potential, and that our clients receive top-tier support and award-winning campaign solutions that sit at the centre of youth culture," said Hunter.

The leadership shuffle has also seen the appointment of senior contributor Lars Brandle as Head of Content.

Brandle has reported at the frontline of the international music industry for over 20 years, including serving as Global News Editor at Billboard and recently as Billboard's Australian correspondent. As Head of Content, Brandle will be responsible for The Brag Media's content strategy and output across its suite of titles.

"Upon acquiring The Brag Media, the Board and I have taken the time to get to know all the incredible talent in the team. It became clear that Jessica's leadership and commercial achievements since joining the business have made her an undeniable force. We believe in Jessica's ability to steer The Brag Media, unlock its full potential and drive our ambitious growth plans forward. I look forward to working closely with Jess and Lars in their new roles. The Brag Media is synonymous with youth culture, and the best is yet to come," said Chief Executive Officer, Vinyl Group, Josh Simons.