News Corp today announced leadership changes at News UK, with the appointment of Rebekah Brooks as Chief Executive Officer, David Dinsmore as Chief Operating Officer, and Tony Gallagher as Editor-in-Chief of The Sun, Britain’s largest selling daily newspaper.
Brooks will replace Mike Darcey, who is departing as CEO after three years in the post, during which time he stabilised the company and showed leadership in developing digital models for newspaper properties and oversaw the transition to mobile formats.
“Rebekah will lead a great team at News UK into the digital future, while maximising the influence and reach of our newspapers, which remain the most informative and successful in Britain and beyond. Her expertise, excellence and leadership will be crucial as we work to extend our relationship with readers and advertisers, and develop our digital platforms to take full advantage of our brilliant journalism,” said Robert Thomson, Chief Executive of News Corp.
“David Dinsmore has led The Sun with distinction, and thoroughly deserves this promotion,“ said Thomson. “He has inspired a superb team of journalists who broke many a scoop and had a profound social impact during his tenure.”
“Tony Gallagher is one of the most respected journalists and editors in the UK, with a long and honorable history with the Daily Telegraph group and the Daily Mail. His integrity and his ingenuity are splendid assets for The Sun across the week,” said Thomson.
“We pay particular tribute to Mike Darcey for his years of service to News Corp, and his sterling contribution to Sky’s success. He came to News UK when the commercial challenges were acute, and ably and admirably steered the business through those turbulent waters,” said Thomson.
“I am delighted to return to News UK. It is a privilege to be back amongst the most talented journalists and executives in the business,” said Ms. Brooks. “I am confident that we can meet the many challenges of this digital age with a combination of cutting edge technologies and world class journalism. I am especially pleased to be working for Robert and thrilled to have Tony and David on board my team.”
Rebekah Brooks is returning to a post that she held four years ago, and will have added responsibilities for the acquisition and development of digital properties. She has been working closely with the team at Storyful, the world’s first and most successful video news agency, which supplies many companies, including Facebook and Vice.
“I have enjoyed my time at The Sun enormously – and had the honour of leading an incredible team. However, I am very excited by this opportunity to work with Rebekah and everyone at News UK to seize the opportunities before us and continue to join the best technologies with the best journalism of our time,” said David Dinsmore. “And I’m very pleased to leave the editorship of The Sun in the capable hands of Tony Gallagher.”
“It is my great pleasure and honour to be taking charge at The Sun. It’s a job I couldn’t possibly turn down and I’m looking forward to working closely with Rebekah, David and the rest of the team at The Sun,” said Tony Gallagher. “I’ve really enjoyed being back at the Daily Mail and especially the chance to work closely with Paul Dacre, who has been a superb mentor throughout my career. It’s only right I should thank him and his team for everything they have done for me – but this is the opportunity of a lifetime. I can’t wait to get started.”
Rebekah Brooks was Chief Executive of News International Ltd from 2009 to 2011, during which time there was significant growth in newspaper operating profit, and The Times was a pioneer in paid-for digital subscriptions. Between 2003 and 2009, she was Editor of The Sun, and from 2000 to 2003 she served as Editor of the News of the World. She started her career at News of the World as a feature writer for the publication’s Sunday magazine in 1989.
While she was at The Sun, the publication grew in circulation, and she supported a number of public campaigns, including Help for Heroes, a charity for soldiers wounded in war that raised tens of millions of pounds. At News of the World, Ms. Brooks spearheaded a campaign that led to the introduction of legislation combating child sex offenders known as “Sarah’s Law.” She was unanimously cleared last year by a jury of all charges related to investigations of various UK newspaper groups.
David Dinsmore became Editor of The Sun in June, 2013, following a long history at the newspaper, including working as Managing Editor and helping launch The Sun on Sunday. Mr. Dinsmore began his career in journalism as a reporter on The Scottish Sun in 1990, becoming editor of that publication in 2006. He has also served as General Manager of News UK in Scotland and Director of Operations for News UK.
Tony Gallagher has been Deputy Editor of the Daily Mail since 2014, after serving as Editor of the Daily Telegraph since 2009. He joined the Daily Telegraph in 2006 after serving as head of news at the Daily Mail beforehand, where he was also instrumental in the launch of MailOnline.
The changes announced today will take effect this Monday, September 7, 2015 for Ms. Brooks and in the coming weeks for Mr. Dinsmore and Mr. Gallagher.
News UK is a London-based operating company of News Corp, and home to The Times, The Sunday Times, The Times Literary Supplement, The Sun and The Sun on Sunday newspapers.