Chris Oakley, Chairman, joined the newspaper industry straight from school. He was Editor of the Lancashire Evening Post and Editor of the Liverpool Echo. He became Managing Director of the Birmingham Post and Mail in 1989, led a management buyout and subsequently floated the new company Midland Independent Newspapers Limited on the London Stock Exchange in 1997.
In April 1998 he led the £360k management buy-in of United Provincial Press and in 2002 he sold the new company to Johnston Press for £560m. He became Chairman of Newsco Insider in 2002.
Marlen Roberts has spent more than 30 years in the media industry having worked for Trinity Mirror and Daily Mail and General Trust. As Deputy Managing Director of the Leicester Mercury she had special responsibility for new media and was approached by the regional press consortium responsible for the launch of the UK’s largest classified advertising web sites known as Fish4.
She joined Regional Independent Media as a main board director in May 2000 working alongside the Chief Executive, Chris Oakley. Marlen became Managing Director of Newsco Insider in 2002 and in 2005 completed a management buyout.
Ian Wentworth joined Newsco Insider in October 2002. Ian has gained a wide range of experience having worked for a number of major international companies including ICL, Nestle and Barclays and is a CIMA qualified accountant.
Ian provided the information required to secure bank funding for the MBO in 2005. He has also been involved in successful cost reduction projects and has developed a variety of new systems and improvements within the finance division.
Sue Laverick is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and has more than 25 years experience of the media industry. Sue was Group Finance Director and a Board member of Regional Independent Media.
She was responsible for all aspects of the Group’s financial management, including managing relations with RIM’s lenders, investors and bondholders. Sue now works with small and medium sized businesses in the media and residential property sectors. Sue remained a shareholder following the management buyout in 2005.
Andy Slim joined the company 12 years ago and held a variety of senior roles within the company. His range of experience has given him invaluable knowledge and understanding of regional business to business publishing.
He understands the history of the development of current Insider products and events as well as the impact of competitive activity and economic change on the business markets Insider operates within. He led the company’s expansion first into Wales and then into the South West. He has been responsible for developing the sales training and staff development programmes that have ensured key staff have been retained and promoted within the business.
Michael Taylor has held a number of senior editorial posts prior to joining Newsco Insider in 2000 where he became Editorial Director. He has been responsible for overseeing the significant growth of the Editorial Division and currently has seven Editors reporting directly to him. He oversaw the launch of Insider into Wales and the South West.
Michael has played a major role in the development of Insider events and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Manchester. His role as Editor of the multi-award winning North West Business Insider Magazine has enabled him to make the magazine market leader in the North West.