Governance

Sue has worked her entire career in the news industry in both editorial and business leadership roles and across all media types.

Most recently, Sue worked as general manager for Reuters News Agency, overseeing all commercial and business activities.

Sue joined Reuters in 2015 as global head of news agency products, and in 2018 she became managing director for Reuters products and news agency strategy. Before her career at Reuters, she worked at Associated Press for 14 years.

From Derbyshire, Sue began her career as a trainee reporter at the age of 17 at the Derby Evening Telegraph, completing her NCTJ training at Richmond College in Sheffield.

After several years reporting for independent radio, Sue progressed into editorial roles at the BBC, Channel 4 and ITN where she edited the flagship News at Ten.

Sue became chair of the NCTJ in September 2024.

Mark has been at the forefront of British sports journalism for more than two decades. He joined Sky in 2015 and is now Director of Sky Sports News. His leads teams who produce and publish all the content on the SSN television news channel, and all of Sky Sports’ digital and social media channels.

Mark oversees a team of almost 300 journalists who deliver original, award-winning journalism for this 24/7 sports news broadcaster and publisher.

Previously the Head of Digital at Sky News, Mark has been leading Sky Sports News since 2020 (six weeks before the pandemic struck). He first joined Sky Sports in 2015 as Head of Editorial Content, becoming Head of Digital Publishing in 2016.

Before joining Sky, Mark, known widely as Alfie, worked for more than a decade in national newspaper journalism, after graduating from the Daily Mail’s much-vaunted graduate scheme and at the Hull Daily Mail before that. Mark obtained his NCTJ Diploma at Lambeth College under the expert tutelage of Wendy McClemont.

Maria Breslin is editor of the Liverpool Echo, one of the UK’s leading regional daily newspapers, published by Reach plc and serving the Liverpool city region. She has overall responsibility for the editorial direction, content strategy and newsroom performance of the title, ensuring it remains relevant to its diverse community in print and across digital platforms.

Maria has championed innovation in local journalism, including the development of new digital subscription offerings designed to strengthen the Echo’s relationship with its readers and support the sustainability of quality local news. Under her leadership, the title continues to deliver impactful public-interest reporting, community advocacy and multimedia storytelling.

Highly regarded by the NCTJ team, Maria has been closely involved in the work of the NCTJ for several years, particularly in relation to accreditation, and brings a strong understanding of journalism training standards and the needs of entry-level reporters in regional newsrooms.

Maria is also actively engaged in the wider journalism and civic community and serves as a trustee of The Dan Kay Foundation, a charitable organisation established in memory of a local journalist and Hillsborough campaigner.

Prior to her current role, Maria held a number of senior editorial positions within Reach, developing extensive experience across print, digital and audience engagement. She is recognised for her commitment to journalistic excellence, community-focused reporting and the development of newsroom talent.

Toby Granville is editor of the Bournemouth Daily Echo as well as regional editor of Newsquest’s South Coast titles, which include the Southern Daily Echo, Dorset Echo and Brighton Argus, and weekly titles the Hampshire Chronicle, Falmouth Packet and Somerset County Gazette.

Toby was the editorial director at Newsquest – the second largest regional newspaper publisher in the UK – between 2015 and 2026. Toby began his career in 1990 at the Sunday People. He gained his first editorship at the age of 26 at The Wharf which won Newspaper of the Year under his leadership.

Michelle Johnson is editorial director at independent publishing company Vantage Media, directing the company’s growth strategy while ensuring world-class content is delivered to a diverse range of clients and projects.

As editor-in-chief of Tempus, a London luxury lifestyle magazine, Michelle oversees all aspects of editorial production, from content planning and commissioning to design and distribution.

Before joining Vantage, Michelle worked for Hello! magazine for six years, as international and features writer, and then head of video. She began her journalism career as a freelance journalist, copy editor and editor, which included editing six issues of Archant’s Essex Life magazine.

Michelle completed her NCTJ qualification at Harlow College in 2010.

Veronica Kan-Dapaah became an assistant editor, part of the editorial senior leadership group at the Financial Times (FT), in 2023. She is head of newsroom diversity, oversees audio journalism and has been global head of video since 2013. Veronica joined the FT in 2011 from CNBC, where she was an executive producer. Before that, she was a senior news producer at the BBC.

Alex is director of corporate reporting & accounting at The Financial Times, responsible for all aspects of shareholder and external financial reporting. Working closely with business owners and board members, Alex has helped deliver numerous acquisitions and smaller investments undertaken by the FT, as well as leading teams through a variety of finance transformation initiatives.

Prior to joining the FT in 2017, Alex worked for IHS Markit, a global leader in information, analytics, and solutions across key sectors including finance, automotive, energy, technology, maritime, and engineering. He was at the heart of the finance team that drove the listing of the Markit business on NASDAQ in 2014, before helping deliver the $13bn merger with IHS in 2016.

His early career in finance began as a trainee at KPMG in 2003, having graduated from the University of Bristol in 2002 with an MA in history.

John McAndrew is director of live and daily news for the BBC, responsible for the quality, consistency and editorial direction of BBC television and radio news programmes (including Breakfast, the One, Six and Ten O’clock News bulletins, Newsnight, the Today programme, PM, Newsbeat, Radio 5 Live, Newsround) and the BBC News Channel & Streams, BBC News Online.

Fergus McKenna is content sales director at Reach plc, the UK’s largest national and regional news publisher. In this role, he leads content syndication, licensing and strategic commercial partnerships that amplify the reach and value of Reach’s news brands across digital and global platforms. He has been closely involved in expanding distribution agreements, including extending major Reach titles to international audiences via third-party subscription services.

Fergus’s responsibilities encompass maximising content value through licensing, syndication and strategic alliances, working with partners in the UK and internationally to broaden audience reach and strengthen revenue streams for quality journalism.

He has represented Reach at industry events and panel discussions on content strategy and media licensing, including forums focused on the global syndication of iconic newspaper brands.

Fergus studied at Keele University and his earlier career included roles within publishing and media that built his expertise in commercial content strategy and partnerships.

In addition to his executive role at Reach, Fergus is active in industry governance; he serves on the NLA remuneration committee and engages with initiatives that support the broader media ecosystem. He brings to the NCTJ nomination a deep understanding of commercial drivers in news publishing and the challenges facing newsrooms adapting to digital transformation.

After joining Sky News in 1995, John Ryley was at the heart of Sky News’ success and transformation into a world-class news organisation.

In 2009 he launched a campaign for leaders’ debates which have transformed the nature of the election campaign, raising voters’ interest and heightening political engagement. It led to a call by CBS anchor Dan Rather for his knighthood “for getting these debates on the air because for the first time the British public gets to see the three candidates, no filter, right in front of themselves for three good sessions.” John has begun a campaign for cameras in court.

During his time at Sky News, John has pioneered innovative, live coverage of breaking news and news events for the award-winning channel. Credits include Sky News’ extensive live coverage of the Louise Woodward case in 1997, which secured the channel’s biggest audience yet. He produced Sky’s RTS award-winning coverage of the Princess of Wales’s funeral and as executive editor took a leading role in Sky’s coverage of the 9/11 attacks, for which the channel won its first BAFTA award.

In August 2002, John was responsible for devoting the channel’s output to coverage of the Soham murders, for which it won a second BAFTA award and an RTS award. John began his career in television news as a graduate news trainee at the BBC, followed by a stint on the BBC Nine O’clock News.

He joined ITN in 1990 and went on to become assistant programme editor on News at Ten and edited all ITV’s news shows. John was educated at Durham University and the Wharton School of Management.

Paul Sinker works for the News Media Association and is an experienced communications professional in the field of media policy and regulatory affairs with a track record of delivering sustained coverage for lobbying campaigns aimed at shaping policy outcomes. Previous experience included working as a fully NCTJ qualified journalist at the Dunfermline Press and the East Lothian Courier.

Paul has worked at the News Media Association since March 2007, as a communications executive, senior communications executive, communications manager, head of communications and now director of communications.

“As the provider of world-class education and training for journalists, the NCTJ embodies the media sector’s commitment to delivering trusted news and information to the public.  

“One of my main ambitions as an NCTJ trustee would be to identify strategic communications opportunities for the organisation’s work to be highlighted more within the wider industry narrative – showing the rigour and resource which goes into the training of journalists.

“The evolution of the training to reflect the requirements of multimedia newsrooms is also an important part of the story of the industry’s move to a digital-first future.

“The NCTJ’s work to increase diversity in newsrooms should also feature more prominently in the media sector’s story, showing that the sector takes this issue seriously and is taking steps to address it.

“A greater synergy between the NCTJ and wider industry’s communications will deliver benefits for all the constituent organisations – including the NMA and NCTJ – enhancing and enriching the key message that journalism matters more than ever.”

Jo Webster is the global editor for agency news strategy at Reuters. She creates strategy for Reuters award-winning video, pictures and text teams, helping the newsroom anticipate and meet existing and future needs of the world’s major broadcasters, technology platforms and digital media organizations . Prior to this role she was global managing editor for video and photography. Jo joined Reuters in 2009 as a senior producer for Insider Financial TV. In 2015, she launched Reuters TV – a flagship consumer TV offering designed to showcase Reuters award-winning journalism and geographical reach on cutting-edge digital platforms.

Jo started her career in the trade press and had a front row seat to the 2007 financial crisis as a producer and on-screen reporter for CNBC Television. Jo is deputy chair for the NCTJ.

Martin Wright, editor of the Shropshire Star, started out in journalism as a trainee reporter on the weekly County Times newspaper in 1997 covering Mid Wales. After completing his training, he joined the Shropshire Star as a senior reporter in 1998, before returning to the County Times as deputy editor 12 months later.

He went on to become editor of the Oswestry and Border Counties Advertizer  in 2001, before returning to Mid Wales as editor of the County Times. He became deputy editor of the North Wales daily, The Leader, in 2005, before being appointed associate editor of NWN Media in 2009. He left NWN in April 2013, when he took over as editor of the Shropshire Star.

The role also involves overseeing a series of eight paid-for and free weekly newspapers covering Shropshire and Mid Wales, as well as various periodicals and magazines.