Guardian Media Group today names two senior leaders into new roles to drive the Guardian’s commercial strategy and continue to build on the Guardian’s success in the US and Australia.
- Ian McClelland, currently chief executive of Guardian Australia, is named managing director for corporate development.
- Evelyn Webster, currently interim chief executive of Guardian US, is named chief executive of Guardian US and Guardian Australia.
Ian McClelland, currently CEO of Guardian Australia, is named managing director for corporate development, relocating to London in early 2018. Ian joined to launch Guardian Australia alongside Katharine Viner in 2013. His commercial leadership has made the Guardian a major player in the Australian media landscape. Over the last four years Guardian Australia has exceeded its original business growth plan, and is forecasted to break even this year as planned.
In his new role, Ian will focus on using the Guardian’s assets, capabilities and networks to develop new products and reach new markets and customers. He will report to GMG chief executive David Pemsel and work closely with all parts of the business. The business has begun a recruitment process to appoint a new managing director for Guardian Australia.
Evelyn Webster is appointed as chief executive of Guardian US and Guardian Australia.
Evelyn has been interim chief executive of Guardian US since January 2017. During this time she has carried out a significant transformation of Guardian US, diversifying and restructuring the organisation alongside editorial colleagues. Guardian US ends 2017 with robust advertising revenues, rapid growth in reader revenues, and a successful philanthropy strategy. In her new role Evelyn will be chief executive for both Guardian US and Guardian Australia, reporting to Guardian Media Group chief executive, David Pemsel.
GMG chief executive David Pemsel said:
“Under Ian’s leadership, Guardian Australia has grown rapidly to become a significant player in the Australian media sector, respected by our readers, advertisers and partners.
“In his new role, Ian will work closely with me to develop the Guardian’s assets, capabilities and networks to reach new markets and customers. Ian’s global experience and track record of creating growth for digital businesses will be crucial to our long-term success.
“Thanks to Evelyn’s leadership, Guardian US is growing well and on track. Her passion for results and innovation, and her extensive experience in global media roles, will be fantastic assets as we position the Guardian for long-term growth in the US and Australia, two of the world’s most dynamic media markets.”
Ian McClelland said:
“It’s been a huge privilege to help launch and grow Guardian Australia, which has become a vital and distinctive news source for millions of Australians. It’s satisfying to be leaving Guardian Australia in such a robust position; from our brilliant journalism to our strong relationships with advertisers and readers.
“I’m very excited about my new role and helping to put the Guardian on a long-term path to sustainability.”
Evelyn Webster said:
“The Guardian brand is a fantastic asset which is respected all over the world. The Guardian’s world class journalism and distinctive outlook clearly strikes a chord with millions of Americans, and we have a significant opportunity to build our business in the US.
“I am really looking forward to working with our high-performing Guardian Australia team, who have a strong track record and a great reputation.
“My focus in the US and Australia will be on growing our business, building strong relationships with our advertisers, growing our reader revenues and creating the conditions for the Guardian’s world-leading journalism to thrive.”
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Notes to editors
For more information please contact: media.enquiries@theguardian.com
About Guardian News & Media
Guardian News & Media (GNM) publishes theguardian.com, one of the world’s leading English-language newspaper websites. Traffic from outside of the UK now represents around two-thirds of the Guardian’s total digital audience. In the UK, GNM publishes the Guardian newspaper six days a week, first published in 1821, and the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper, The Observer. The Guardian is renowned for its agenda-setting journalism including, most recently, the Panama Papers investigation as well as the Pulitzer Prize and Emmy-winning NSA revelations.
About Guardian US
Guardian US launched in 2011 and reaches more than 34m people each month (comScore, October 2017). With newsrooms in New York, Washington and San Francisco, Guardian US brings a global perspective to America on issues including inequality, race and immigration, the environment, the role of technology in our lives, national security, women’s rights, the rise of the far right, gun control, and more.
Prior to joining the Guardian, Evelyn Webster spent over five years as Executive Vice President and Group President of Time Inc, one of the largest media companies in the world, where she oversaw the business operations and strategy for a portfolio of award-winning brands spanning the fashion, luxury, lifestyle, multicultural, news & business sectors.
Before moving to Time Inc. in New York, Evelyn was the Chief Executive Officer of IPC Media Limited (now Time Inc. UK).
About Guardian Australia
Launched in 2013, Guardian Australia is a premium digital news site in Australia, with a total reach of 2.818m people each month (Nielsen DRM, October 2017). Guardian Australia is a trusted source of quality Australian news, with a particular focus on politics, the environment and social welfare. Guardian Australia offers national news coverage and has four bureaus located in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Canberra. Guardian Australia is also part of the Guardian’s 24-hour global news operation, helping to cover breaking international stories in all parts of the world.
Prior to joining Guardian Australia Ian McClelland advised Fremantle Media Australia’s regional CEOs on their digital strategy and business development. He has also worked for RTL Group, Europe’s largest entertainment network, as their senior vice-president and spent eight years at Turner Broadcasting, a company whose assets include CNN, TCM and Cartoon Network. Ian started his career as a founder of one of the first web agencies in the UK, Wax New Media.
