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Board members of the new holding company which owns the JEP and Bailiwick Express have been confirmed this week.
Both companies were recently acquired by MH Ltd, a combined local media business owned by the existing shareholders of Bailiwick Express, together with members of the Board.
MH Limited has now changed its name to All Island News Limited to better describe the activities of the businesses it owns, and act as the overarching owner of the two distinct brands.
The Board of All Island News Limited will be chaired by former Chief Minister Frank Walker OBE, who was previously Managing Director and Chair of the Guiton Group. He will be joined on 1 January by three new local non-executive directors: former Chamber of Commerce President Jennifer Carnegie, chartered accountant Matthew Corbin and founder of Pinpoint, Tom Hacquoil. A brief biography of each of the new Board members is listed below.
Speaking following his appointment as Chair, Mr Walker said: "I am delighted to once again be involved with our local newspaper, and relish the opportunity to play a role in taking the JEP and Bailiwick Express forward into a challenging but exciting future.
"Virtually all of my business career was spent working for the JEP, including as Managing Director, during which period I led the transformation of the newspaper, oversaw the move to new fit for purpose offices at Five Oaks, and introduced the latest technology."
Pictured: All brands - the JEP and Bailiwick Express, Bailiwick Radio, Bailiwick Podcasts - will remain, retaining their different voices.
He continued: "The merger with Bailiwick Express brings the JEP back into local ownership and provides a unique opportunity to protect and develop both separate brands going forward. They will continue to be editorially independent and provide highly effective platforms for readers and advertisers alike.
"We have formed a very strong and experienced Board and we are all, together with our highly talented management team and staff, looking forward with excitement, commitment, and enthusiasm to providing an unparalleled news service to islanders."
The merger of the JEP and Bailiwick Express was confirmed last week, following the receipt of regulatory approval.
Both news brands will remain and retain their different editorial voices, but both will have access to a much deeper pool of resources, which will help them continue to publish the stories which really matter to islanders, and provide the commercial services which advertisers require.
The company will also be setting up an Employee Benefit Trust in order to make sure its staff have a shareholding, and will be broadening that ownership further in due course.
Bailiwick Express launched in 2014 in Jersey as a digital newspaper, with a Guernsey edition following in 2018.
It also broadcasts Bailiwick Radio online and on DAB+, and publishes Connect magazine in Jersey and Guernsey, along with a weekly selection of news podcasts.
The JEP is one of Jersey's best-known brands and has been at the heart of Island life for more than 132 years. In 2021, it was crowned Newspaper of the Year in the prestigious Society of Editors Regional Newspaper of the Year awards, an accolade which followed the Magazine of the Year title the previous year for its ecoJersey publication. Now a digital as well as a print publisher, the JEP's portfolio includes a diverse selection of titles. It also organises a number of community events, including the Pride of Jersey awards, the Parish Clean-up and Leadership Jersey talks.
Frank Walker served as Jersey's first Chief Minister from 2005 to 2008, having held a number of committee Presidencies and other senior roles.
He is a direct descendent of Walter Guiton, who founded the Jersey Evening Post 132 years ago, and served as Managing Director of the Guiton Group. This involvement ended in the early 2000s when the Guiton Group was sold to the Graham family, who own the Wolverhampton Express and Star.
Following his political career, Mr Walker has served on a number of Boards including Digital Jersey and Andium Homes, and is also Chair of the Board of Trustees at Sanctuary Trust.
Jennifer Carnegie was until recently the President of the Chamber.of Commerce.
She is the Chief Operating Officer of strategic leadership consultancy Amicus Limited and Chair of Jersey Business.
She is also a co-opted Director of the Channel Islands Cooperative Society, and recently joined the Board of Condor Ferries.
Matthew Corbin is a Chartered Accountant and has advised businesses for over 20 years.
He is the co-founder and CEO of the BDO Group in Jersey, which provides professional, business and technology advice and services under the BDO, C5 Alliance and ALX Training brands.
Tom Hacquoil is the Founder and CEO of Pinpoint, a 'software as a service' business with clients in 55 countries around the world.
Aside from Pinpoint, he sits on the Board of Digital Jersey and is passionate about the Jersey community, leveraging his international experience to help local organisations.
Pictured top: Matthew Corbin, Frank Walker, Jennifer Carnegie and Tom Hacquoil.
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