Independent Digital News and Media appoints John Paton as new chairman

'I am excited to work with the team to expand the first truly independent, digital pure-play quality journalism company in the world,' he says

John Paton

Independent Digital News and Media, publisher of The Independent and Indy100, has appointed John Paton as chairman.

Mr Paton joins from Guardian Media Group, where he served as director for the past six years, as well as two years as chairman of theguardian.org – the US-based charity which raises funds for independent and investigative journalism for The Guardian and its editorial partners.

In addition, Mr Paton has significant experience as a media executive and investor and is co-founder of media advisory and tech investment firm IVA Ventures.

After starting his career as a journalist, he has since led media companies in the US, Canada and Europe, ranging from less than $20m (£16.6m) in revenues to more than $1.2bn (£998m), and from 100 employees to 10,000.

He is the founder and former chief executive of Digital First Media, the then number-two newspaper company in the US, and co-founder and ex-chief executive of impreMedia, the then-largest Hispanic news company in the US. He has served as a director of public and private media companies across the world.

He has been a strong advocate of the digital transformation of quality journalism, with a deep understanding of the opportunities available to media firms today. In 2009, he was awarded Publisher of the Year in the US by Editor & Publisher for his digital transformation efforts and has been named a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young in New York City.

“I am honoured to join The Independent with its commitment to best-in-class journalism,” said Mr Paton. “I share that commitment. I am very excited to work with the team to rapidly expand the first truly independent, digital pure-play quality journalism company in the world.”

Justin Byam Shaw, the outgoing chairman, who will remain on the IDNML board, said: “The Independent has become a unique, global success story. It combines high revenue growth and profitability with a 35-year reputation for high-quality, independent journalism around the world.

“In John, we have appointed a robustly independent chairman, who shares The Independent’s values and, with his vast experience of digital media, will guide its continuing global growth.”