Richard joins GMG from UBM, the global events-led marketing and communications services business, where he was most recently CFO and interim CEO of UBM EMEA.
Richard will sit on the GMG Board and the Guardian News & Media Executive Committee. He will oversee the finance, corporate development, risk and commercial legal functions. In addition, the company secretary will report into Richard, as will Richard Furness, GNM’s director of publishing.
David Pemsel, chief executive officer of GMG, said: “I am delighted that Richard is joining GMG at this key phase in our development as a global media franchise. His broad experience in operational and commercial finance management and his in-depth knowledge of the media sector, both in the UK and internationally, will be invaluable as we continue to realise the full potential of the Guardian in the digital age.”
Richard Kerr said: “The Guardian is one of the world’s leading media brands, based on its clear values and an outstanding reputation for journalism of the highest quality. I am excited by the opportunity to help build on this success.”
Richard has been chief financial officer of UBM EMEA (formerly UBM Live) since January 2011. UBM EMEA is one of the four divisions of UBM plc, the UK-listed FTSE 250 media company (market capitalisation £2.2bn). Since July 2015, Richard has also been UBM EMEA’s acting chief executive officer.
Richard joined UBM in 2004 and was head of group development from 2004 to 2008. In this role he was responsible for managing more than 60 worldwide acquisitions, the majority of which were in the events space. He then moved to UBM Aviation, where he was CFO and senior vice president for events and publications, responsible for all the trade shows, conferences and magazines in the division.
Before UBM, Richard worked in investment banking at Lehman Brothers and Flemings and at Prebon Group in a senior business development role. Between 2007 and 2008, Richard was a non-executive director of ITN. He is a graduate of Oxford University.
It is expected that Richard, who succeeds Darren Singer, will take up his new appointment in the first quarter of 2016. Claire Pape, director of commercial finance at GMG, will continue to serve as GMG’s interim chief financial officer.
