Appointments to The Scott Trust Ltd

Emily Bell, director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism, and Alex Graham, founder and CEO of Wall to Wall Media, have been appointed as non-executive directors of The Scott Trust Ltd.

Created in 1936, The Scott Trust’s core purpose is to secure the financial and editorial independence of the Guardian in perpetuity. It is the sole shareholder in the Guardian Media Group, the owner of the Guardian, creating a unique ownership structure that ensures a long-term, commercially credible future for Guardian journalism.

Before taking up her role at the Tow Centre, Emily had previously worked for the Observer and then the Guardian for twenty years, setting up MediaGuardian.co.uk in 2000 and becoming editor-in-chief of Guardian Unlimited in 2001. In September 2006, she was promoted to the new position of director of digital for Guardian News & Media. She took up her present role at Columbia in 2010.

Alex has been a leading figure in UK independent television production for almost thirty years. He started in TV in 1979, setting up Wall to Wall Media in 1987 and becoming its CEO in 1997. Under Alex’s leadership, Wall to Wall Media has built an unrivalled slate of critically acclaimed and popular programming. He is chair of the Sheffield International Documentary Festival, a trustee of New Deal of the Mind, a board member of Hampstead Theatre, visiting professor of television at Lincoln University and a member of the Advisory Board for the National Film and Television School’s Entrepreneurial Producing Course.

Liz Forgan, chair of The Scott Trust Ltd, said: “We are delighted to welcome Emily and Alex as trustees. Recognised as world-leading experts in their fields, they bring highly relevant experience and unique insights which will be immensely valuable in our task of ensuring that the Guardian continues to thrive in a rapidly changing media world.”

Emily Bell said: “The work of the Guardian and the role of The Scott Trust in protecting it is more critical now than ever. It is an honour to join the Trust and continue a close association with this wonderful organisation.”

Alex Graham said: “Never in the forty-odd years that I have been reading the Guardian has the strong liberal voice of this great newspaper felt more vital. At a time of digital revolution and with the continued debate around regulation of the press, the Guardian’s financial and editorial independence is more important than ever before. To be asked to join The Scott Trust at this critical moment is both a privilege and a challenge but I relish the opportunity.”

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Further information: Helen Dagley 020 3353 2427

Notes for editors

The Scott Trust was created in 1936 to protect the legacy of the long-standing editor and latterly owner of the Guardian, CP Scott: the independent, liberal journalism of his newspaper. The core purpose of The Scott Trust is “to secure the financial and editorial independence of the Guardian in perpetuity”. In October 2008 The Scott Trust became a limited company to strengthen the protection it affords to the Guardian. All trustees became directors of The Scott Trust Limited.
The Scott Trust Limited is the sole owner of Guardian Media Group plc (‘GMG’). GMG’s core business is Guardian News & Media, publisher of guardian.co.uk, guardiannews.com in the US, and the Guardian and Observer newspapers.

The group’s portfolio of investments includes:

· Trader Media Group: one of Europe’s largest specialist media companies, and publisher of the Auto Trader website and magazine. Trader Media Group is jointly owned by GMG and Apax Partners
· Top Right Group (formerly Emap): the multiplatform business-to-business media group, also jointly owned by GMG and Apax Partners
· GMG Property Services: the leading provider of software, technology and design solutions to the property industry
· An externally managed investment fund

The Trust Board is chaired by Dame Liz Forgan and currently consists of executives within GMG, external members, a member of the Scott family and a member of Guardian News & Media’s editorial staff.

The directors of The Scott Trust Limited are:
Liz Forgan (Chair)
Emily Bell
Alex Graham
Andrew Graham
Will Hutton
Maleiha Malik
Andrew Miller
Alan Rusbridger
Anthony Salz
Jonathan Scott
Heather Stewart
Philip Tranter (Secretary)