The chief executive of the Guardian Media Group Carolyn McCall is leaving the company after 24 years, it was announced today.

Carolyn, who has been in the role with the local and national press publisher for four years, is the new chief executive of easyJet.

She will leave GMG later in the year and an announcement regarding succession plans will be made in due course.

Carolyn said: “The Guardian has been my second family for a quarter of a century, and I feel incredibly privileged to be part of such a wonderful and unique organisation.

“However, the chance to lead a FTSE company of easyJet’s calibre is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“The business has a superb brand and a great future ahead of it, and I’m looking forward to driving its continued success.

“I will leave GMG knowing that our journalism has never been more influential or widely read, and with complete confidence that its financial position is secure.”

Carolyn joined the Guardian in 1986 as a planner in the marketing department and at Guardian News and Media held various positions including advertising director, commercial director, managing director and chief executive.

She was promoted to chief executive of parent organisation GMG in 2006.

One of her last major projects she will oversee is the completion of the sale of GMG’s regional newspapers in Greater Manchester, Berkshire and Surrey to Trinity Mirror on Sunday.

In 2008, she was awarded the OBE for services to women in business and was named Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year.

Comments

Joy Shticke (24/03/2010 09:30:14)
Presumably her first action will be to streamline the flight deck and reduce the number of pilots on every plane from two to one?

Alan Salter (24/03/2010 10:03:00)
…or none, perhaps?

Reynard (24/03/2010 10:41:15)
From one loss making company to another, but no Trust to hide behind this time only real sharholders and banks.No family silver to sell off at rock bottom prices either.
I wonder.

norman stevens (24/03/2010 10:42:10)
what irony. Two minutes before reading about Ms McCall’s appointment I had put the phone down on Easyjet’s joke of a Customer Services Dept with the sign-off line: ‘ I just hope your company goes bust very quickly so we can all get on with the rest of our lives.’ Anyone who has used the lethal combination of Easyjet and Luton Airport can guess what had led up to that point!

Observer (24/03/2010 10:46:51)
Or ‘citizen pilots’ like citizen journalists? And maybe get rid of trolley dollies and let the passengers find their own seats – seems like an unnecessary spend to have checks like that.
One engine as well. Why have two when one works perfectly well? Wait, hang on, what if the first one breaks? Get in a freelance engine but make sure it works harder and for less money.

Bean Counter (24/03/2010 13:29:28)
Out of the frying pan into the flier.

Reporter-and-tea-boy-and-sub-and-receptionist (24/03/2010 16:39:50)
Quality… is this a “reward” or a booby prize? I’m thinking of not doing my job properly too – will it get me a megabucks salary move elsewhere?