Guardian Media Group (GMG) is pleased to announce that Coram Williams has joined the GMG board as a non-executive director with immediate effect.
Coram is currently chief financial officer of Pearson, the world’s leading education company, a position he has held since August 2015. Previously he was CFO of Penguin Random House, the world’s largest consumer publisher, and prior to that CFO of the Penguin Group.
Coram began his professional career at Autocar, a British motoring magazine, as a news reporter and road tester.
Neil Berkett, chair of GMG, said: “Coram has an impressive track record and we’re delighted that he has chosen to join the GMG board. At a time of rapid change and challenges to our traditional business model, Coram’s financial expertise, alongside those of his fellow board members, will ensure we continue on the right track to protecting the Guardian’s ground-breaking journalism in perpetuity.”
Coram Williams said: “I feel honoured to be invited to serve on the board of an institution as iconic and important as GMG. Despite a challenging market, the role that the Guardian plays in society is more vital than ever. I’m very excited about joining such an experienced Board and drawing on my background and skills to help the Guardian fulfil its mission.”
GMG is wholly owned by The Scott Trust Limited, which exists to secure the financial and editorial independence of the Guardian in perpetuity.
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For more information please contact:
media.enquiries@theguardian.com or 020 3353 3696
Notes to editors
Current GMG Board Members:
Neil Berkett - chair
David Pemsel
Katharine Viner
Nick Backhouse
Judy Gibbons
Jennifer Duvalier
Nigel Morris
John Paton
Baroness Gail Rebuck
Jimmy Wales
Richard Kerr
Coram Williams
Coram Williams, 42, is chief financial officer of Pearson, a position he has held since August 2015. From 2013-2015 he was CFO of Penguin Random House, the world’s largest consumer publisher, and prior to that CFO of the Penguin Group, a position to which he was appointed 2008.
Earlier in his career, Coram held a number of senior finance roles in Pearson, including Head of Financial Planning and Analysis for Pearson plc; Finance and Operations Director for English Language Teaching in EMEA; and Interim President of Pearson Education Italia. His first role at Pearson was Financial Strategy and Planning Manager for Pearson Education UK.
Coram began his professional career at Autocar, a British motoring magazine, as a news reporter and road tester. He then joined Arthur Andersen; this move led to positions of increasing responsibility for Arthur Andersen Business Consulting and Arthur Andersen Worldwide.
A graduate of Christ Church College, Oxford, Coram also holds an MBA from London Business School.
About GMG
Guardian Media Group (GMG) is amongst the UK’s leading media organisations. Its core business is Guardian News & Media (GNM), publisher of theguardian.com, one of the largest English-speaking quality newspaper websites in the world. In the UK, GNM publishes the Guardian newspaper six days a week and the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper, The Observer.
GMG has also built an endowment fund, which includes the proceeds from the 2014 disposal of its 50.1% holding in Trader Media Group. The sole purpose of the fund is to secure the editorial independence and financial security of the Guardian in perpetuity. The business conduct of the Group is guided by The Scott Trust values.
