New executives

Tim Davie's hunt for a new Chief Finance Officer officially started in April, when Glyn Isherwood decided he didn't want to stay, have been overlooked for promotion. So, after a 'highly competitive search', (code for headhunters) Alan Dickson, lurking under their noses as COO News, has been appointed, and can expect to see a good wedge added to his current £200k salary. 

News has two reputations inside the Corporation - one, for being late years in reaching nearly all savings targets 'cos it's just too difficult, and the second, for 'transformation'. This appointment may show which is the earned reputation. 

Also joining Mr Davie's executive: Alice Macandrew, who becomes Corporate Affairs Director after just over 18 months in a similar role with Primark. Alice adds to the socio-economic diversity so prized by Tim with education at top Edinburgh private establishment The Mary Erskine School, followed by an MA in History at Cambridge University. 

She had a spells at Broadcast magazine, the FT Newsletter and Euromoney, before partnering at Finsbury PR. There she worked with James Murdoch, and eventually joined Newscorp. She departed in the aftermath of phone-hacking charges (Nick Davies said she had a half-hour shouting match with Rebekah Brooks), to re-emerge at Sky in 2012. Three years on, and she moved to Thomas Cook, only to leave after an 'horrific' time as the company failed. 

In a Thomas Cook house mag of 2018 she shared a 'fun fact': "I am 100% Celt - 50% Scottish 50% Irish, no English blood in me, but I don't sound it until I drink. The more gin I drink, the more Scottish I become."