The Independent Press Standards Organisation has today announced the appointments of Charlotte Dewar as Chief Executive and Lara Fielden, Eddie Gray, Brendan McGinty and Charles Garside as members of its lay-majority Board.

Charlotte Dewar has been IPSO’s Acting Chief Executive since February 2020 and was formerly its Director of Operations since 2015.

She said: “I’m delighted to be appointed as Chief Executive. Well-regulated, accountable journalism is more important than ever. I look forward to leading IPSO’s work enforcing the high standards set by the Editors’ Code, supporting the public, and upholding freedom of expression.”

The new Board members were appointed by an independent appointments panel and will take up their posts in September 2020. They replace Rick Hill MBE, Anne Lapping CBE, Charles McGhee, and Charles Wilson, who joined IPSO for its launch in 2014.

Lara Fielden has professional and academic expertise in media regulation. She was a broadcasting regulator with Ofcom and a Visiting Fellow at Oxford University’s Reuters Institute, where her publications included a report on press regulation for the Leveson Inquiry. Lara was Vice Chair of the London Probation Trust and advised on the UK Statistics Authority’s 2016 Code review. She is a lay board member of the Bar Standards Board and has been a member of IPSO’s Complaints Committee for the past five years. She said: “It is a privilege to be continuing my association with IPSO as a Board member. I strongly support independent self-regulation of the press and look forward to contributing to IPSO's commitment to press standards and accountability to the public”.

Eddie Gray spent forty years in the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology sector, including at GlaxoSmithKline as President of the European Pharmaceutical Business and as CEO of Dynavax Technologies, a California biotechnology company. He was a Board member of Opportunity Now and a member of the Women’s Business Council, initiatives supporting furthering the contribution of women to business and economic growth. He said:
“Maintaining a healthy balance between accurate and responsible presentation of news and the benefits to society of freedom of speech remain as important as ever. I look forward to contributing to IPSO’s work”.

Brendan McGinty was Editor of the Sunday Mail newspaper until January 2020 and now runs his own Glasgow-based consultancy, Finnieston Communications. His 25-year career in journalism included roles at the Dundee Courier, Edinburgh Evening News and Sunday Mirror. He commented:
“I believe the style of self-regulation offered by IPSO helps maintain freedom of the press and it is crucial that we maintain its effectiveness and build on the work done since its inception.”

Charles Garside is a trustee of the Journalists Charity and on the Board of the Society of Editors. A journalist for over fifty years, he was Editor in Chief at The European and news edited both the London Evening News and the Evening Standard. At various times he held roles at The Sun, Times, Daily Mirror, and Sunday Express, and concluded with a 14-year stint as first Managing Editor and then Assistant Editor of the Daily Mail. He commented: “I am honoured to join the Board and hope to contribute in any way I can to its vital work and purpose.”

Lord Edward Faulks QC, Chairman of IPSO added: “I congratulate Charlotte upon her appointment, extend my thanks to those departing the Board, and welcome the new members. At such an unprecedented time, I am confident the wealth of experience and insights offered by the new appointees will strengthen the organisation and assist IPSO’s continued delivery of robust, independent press regulation.”