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Archant chairman to step down after 17 years

The chairman of regional publisher Archant will retire at the end of this year after 17 years in the post, it has been announced.

Richard Jewson, left, will step down from the role after being involved with the publisher for the last 31 years as a director and chairman.

The 69-year-old, who is also currently Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk and holds chairman and director positions with a number of other organisations, will retire from the role on 31 December .

Archant has announced that Richard Wyatt has been appointed as its new chairman from 1 January after serving as a non-executive director since 2005.

Mr Jewson said: “I have been honoured to serve as both a director and chairman of Archant for the last 31 years.

“During that time I have seen Archant grow from a small newspaper company in East Anglia into a successful community media business operating across the UK.

“I have always intended to retire by the time I reach 70 and this is a now a good time to hand over to my successor, Richard Wyatt, to whom I wish all success.”

Archant chief executive Adrian Jeakings said: “Richard has played a major role in the development of Archant. He has been hugely helpful to me since I took on the role of chief executive and I wish him every happiness in his retirement.

“I am delighted that Richard Wyatt has accepted the position of Archant chairman and look forward to working with him in the future.”

Richard Wyatt

Mr Wyatt, 54, is chairman of Loudwater Investment Partners Limited and media agency the Engine Group, while he is also a senior advisor of NM Rothschild and a trustee of Aldeburgh Music.

He was formerly a managing director of Schroder Securities and Lazard.

He said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as chairman of Archant. I would wish to pay the strongest of tributes to Richard Jewson, who has contributed to the success and growth of Archant for more than 30 years.

“He is, and will remain, a source of wise counsel for me, and I wish him well in his retirement.”

5 comments

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  • October 9, 2013 at 9:18 am
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    With Archant facing the possible payment of £13 million in corporation tax and interest to HM Revenue and Customs dating back 10 years, I would have hoped that Mr Jewson would have hung on in there until that little matter had been resolved.
    Has he fallen on his sword or can we expect other senior executives to retire in the near future?

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  • October 9, 2013 at 3:54 pm
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    Per Old Archantonian’s comment, the elephant in the room constantly for Archant is the outstanding ‘dispute’ with HMRC, but it’s also been an unprecedented period of weak governance for Archant that has led to appalling ABC performances and increasingly weak commercial performance, all off the back of softening editorial standards.

    The titles look weak, and their performance reflects that, and it’s now time for the board to be accountable

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  • October 10, 2013 at 8:02 am
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    Both comments are very true. Bizarre decisions leaving the newspapers bereft of substance and standards a and constantly changing commercial priorities have left them as exposed as any regional publisher to the digital age. Sad. Once proud business simply managing decline.

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  • October 10, 2013 at 2:46 pm
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    sorry,but why should regional press be treated any differently to any other commercial business?
    charging for on line content is a finger in the dyke remedy,investment in improving the printed products has been lacking and is part of the reason people are turning to online content,once appealing papers have little or no appeal,quality content is widely available online,is immediate and often written to a greater depth of understanding than can be found in the regional press now that quality staff are no longer there and a general cheapo cheapo cost cutting dumbing down has taken place-short termism at its finest
    if the commercial figures do not stack up,if the products are losing appeal with their customers(readers and advertisers),if the quality is poor and if the content is available elsewhere then people will vote with their feet.one set of dailies in norfolk and suffolk is even increasing their cover price on the back of falling sales,surely the death throws of a wounded beast
    There has never been more competition both in newsprint,on line or in localised magazines than there is now,all regional titles should stand or fall on their own merits like any other business,their situation is very much of their own making

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  • October 10, 2013 at 2:54 pm
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    it must be a happy relief i`d have thought,he surely doesnt need the grief of reeling from one disaster after another at Archants comedy of errors ; falsified news paper sales figures,dreadful commercial revenues and paid for daily titles across Norfolk and Suffolk in free fall,plus the HM R&C elephant in the room still waiting to emerge there`s never been a better time to leave a sinking ship.

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