View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Media Business
July 25, 2017

Guardian chief executive David Pemsel receives pay and perks of £706,000 a year

By Dominic Ponsford

Guardian Media Group chief executive David Pemsel received total pay and benefits of £706,000 last year.

His £600,000 salary was supplement by £13,000 in employer’s pension contributions and £1,000 benefits in kind. He received a further £92,000 “salary supplement” apparently as an alternative to having this paid into his pension fund.

The Guardian has reduced its losses under Pemsel but still made an operating loss for the year to the end of March of £62.5m on turnover of £214.5m.

Last year Guardian Media Group cut around 300 jobs.

Pemsel’s salary compares to the £450,000 which is paid to BBC director general Tony Hall.

Regional press group Johnston Press is comparable to Guardian Media Group in terms of turnover, but made an operating profit of £42m in 2016. Its chief executive Ashley Highfield received total pay of £556,000 last year.

Guardian editor Katharine Viner received a salary of £340,000 and pension contributions of £32,000. This puts her on a par with the BBC head of news James Harding.

The other top earner at The Guardian is chief financial officer Richard Kerr on a salary of £409,000.

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly dose of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network