Who owns Tortoise Media? The billionaire backers behind Observer bid

Tortoise shareholders have deep pockets and a diverse range of backgrounds.

A composite image showing, at top, the Companies House page for Tortoise Media Ltd and at bottom the lobby of Guardian News and Media, which publishes The Observer. The image illustrates an article looking at who Tortoise's shareholders are as it makes a bid for The Observer. — Bottom image: The Guardian Media Group offices at Kings Place, London. Picture: Graeme Robertson

Who owns Tortoise Media and who is backing its bid to take over the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper, The Observer?

The mystery over who exactly is funding the deal is among the issues causing concern for Guardian and Observer journalists.

Should the deal go through it would bring The Observer under the umbrella of a company whose owners include venture capitalists, a South African chicken restaurant executive, heirs to a clothing fortune and an art curator.

Bron Maher

@bron_maher

Bron Maher is Press Gazette's senior reporter, covering US and UK media. He joined Press Gazette in November 2021 from Newsguard, a US start-up that reviews how far news sites adhere to journalistic standards.

Who owns Tortoise Media? The billionaire backers behind Observer bid

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