Dawn Airey has been appointed chief executive officer at Getty Images, ending her two-year tenure as senior vice president EMEA at Yahoo.

She will relocating from London to New York to start on 12 October, with the aim to accelerate Getty Images’ progress in both its traditional businesses as well as new growth areas.

Speaking on her new role, Airey said: “I have long admired Getty Images and relish the opportunity to lead this iconic global business as it continues to break new ground and propel the industry that this company has pioneered for 20 years.”

“Engaging audiences through the power of visual storytelling is what I am passionate about, and, at its core, that is what Getty Images is all about: inspiring and enabling the world to tell its stories through the exceptional content the team captures each and every day,” Airey added.

“There is immense potential when it comes to marrying content with new monetisation opportunities, and I cannot wait to get started.”

Co-founder Jonathan Klein will also be taking the role of chairman as part of the next growth phase of the company.

“After 20 years at the helm, I am delighted Dawn is joining the team to drive Getty Images in its next phase of growth, innovation and industry leadership,” said Klein.

“Dawn’s deep understanding of the consumer market and the intersection of technology and content means she is well situated to run Getty Images as it explores new opportunities within the consumer space and beyond. We could not be more excited about the future.”