Executive Directors

Emily Shelley began her career at PA Media (then Press Association) as a graduate news trainee in 1999.

She worked in a series of subbing and editorial roles, before launching a digital showbiz news service in 2006 as Showbiz Editor. She went on to become Features Editor in 2007, before moving into various commercial and management positions within PA.

In 2013, Shelley was instrumental in launching a new bespoke content service for corporate clients, before playing an integral role in the acquisition of content agency Sticky in 2013, then becoming its Managing Director.

After six years at Sticky, Shelley was promoted to Alamy to lead the expanding global platform post-acquisition.

Andrew has executive responsibility for all of the Group’s data operations – encompassing Racing, Sport and TV data services – as well as its commercial imagery, broadcast technology and video streaming businesses. He is also the Group’s Chief Technology Officer, leading a programme of digital transformation to achieve operating efficiencies and profit growth.

He has more than 20 years’ experience working with news, information and entertainment brands, including Bauer Media, EMAP, EMI Music and Virgin.

He is also a non-executive director of Alamy and StreamAMG and an independent advisor for Google’s Digital News Innovation (DNI) Fund.

James leads the Group’s Finance, HR and Property functions and is responsible for a wide range of external strategic relationships.

He joined PA Media Group in 2019 from Lonrho, a conglomerate focussed on Sub-Saharan Africa, where he was Group CFO and Executive Director. He began his career with PwC and has also held a number of senior financial leadership and M&A roles at BT Group, Logicalis Group and Ernst & Young.

He is a non-executive director of Alamy, StreamAMG, The Baize Group and content marketing agency Sticky. James is also a non-executive board member of Index on Censorship, an organisation that campaigns for and defends freedom of expression and free speech.

An expert in commercial and intellectual property law, Louise joined PA Media Group from Wolters Kluwer in 2013, advising both the commercial and editorial parts of the company on a range of issues. Louise has been instrumental to the ongoing expansion of PA Media Group’s racing and betting business, managing complex negotiations around the collection and distribution of racing data. She also handled the acquisition of PMA Media Training in 2013, in a deal which consolidated PA Training as one of Europe’s leading providers journalism and media skills.

She assumed the role of Group General Counsel in 2017.

Murdoch was appointed as Chairman of PA Media Group in 2010. As Chair, he leads the Board and is responsible for its overall effectiveness.

Murdoch has held several senior positions in the media sector, including Group Managing Director of Associated Newspapers (1995 to 2004) and CEO of Telegraph Media Group (2004 to 2017).

In addition to his role as Chair of PA Media Group, Murdoch is Chair of Mediahuis Ireland and the Scottish Professional Football League. In 2022, he was appointed Chair of the Office for the Internal Market (OIM) and Trustee of the Royal Museums Greenwich.

Geraldine Allinson has worked in the news media industry at board level for most of her career and is a steadfast supporter of trustworthy journalism in the UK. For thirteen years she chaired the KM Media Group, a long standing, innovative family company which became the country's first integrated multimedia organisation providing news concurrently through online, TV, radio, newspapers and other products.

Amongst other roles she sits on the Appointments Panel for IPSO, is a Kent Ambassador, Trustee of Canterbury Cathedral, Patron for the Heart of Kent Hospice and a Deputy Lieutenant for Kent. She has also been president of the Newspaper Society (the second female to ever do this) as well as a director for the NMA, the RadioCentre and Iliffe Media Group. In 2020 she was awarded the OBE for services to local media in Kent.

Dominic Fitzpatrick joined the Irish News in 1998 and became Managing Director in 2008. He is also Managing Director of Interpress (NI) Ltd, a newspaper printing company, which prints many local and national titles, a position he has held since the company was incorporated in 2004.

Dominic is Chairman of the Northern Media Group which owns six provincial radio stations. He is a board member of Ivywood Properties Ltd which has been responsible for the development of Titanic Quarter and the Titanic Quarter Visitor Centre.

Rebekah Brooks returned to the PA Group Board in September 2015, following her appointment as Chief Executive of News UK. She had previously served on the board in 2010 and 2011.

Rebekah joined News International in 1989 as a feature writer for the News of the World’s Sunday magazine and rose through the ranks to become Editor of The Sun in 2003, a role she held until July 2009.

From 2009 to 2011, she served as Chief Executive of News International.

Paul took up his seat on the board in March 2019. Formerly Editor of the Daily Mail, he stepped aside after 26 years and was appointed Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Associated Newspapers, part of DMG Media, in 2018.

He was appointed Editor of the Evening Standard in 1990, Editor of the Daily Mail in 1992 and Editor-in-Chief of Associated Newspapers in 1998, years which saw the launches of Metro and MailOnline.

Jim Mullen was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Reach plc, the largest commercial news publisher in the UK, in August 2019. Prior to joining Reach he was most recently Chief Executive of Ladbrokes Coral, where he oversaw the merger between Ladbrokes and Gala Coral.

Jim began his career as a software engineer and worked for eleven years in the advertising industry, eventually transitioning to digital leadership positions.

His previous roles include Managing Director of Ladbrokes Digital, Chief Operating Officer and International Director of William Hill, and Director of Product Management and Director of Digital Strategy at News International.

Stephen Carter is the Group Chief Executive of Informa plc, a leading business intelligence, academic publishing, knowledge and events company.

He has held senior executive positions in a range of Media & Technology businesses. Prior to becoming the Group CEO of Informa in 2013, he was President & Managing Director EMEA at Alcatel Lucent Inc, Managing Director and COO of ntl (now Virgin Media) and CEO and Managing Director of JWT UK & Ireland. Stephen was the founding CEO of Ofcom, the UK’s Media & Communications Regulator. He also served as Chief of Strategy to Prime Minister, The Right Hon Gordon Brown, and was Minister for the Media & Telecommunications industry, where he wrote and published the Digital Britain Report.

Stephen has served on a number of company Boards, including as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Informa PLC, and is currently a Non-Executive Director of United Utilities PLC. He is also a Non-Executive board member at the Department of Business Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and Chairman of The Henley Music Festival.