NLA media access, the company responsible for collective licensing of newspaper and magazine publishers’ content, has named Tim Brooks as its new Chairman. Tim will take over from Richard Withey, Chairman for the past 3 years, in January 2014.

Tim joins NLA media access with an impressive track-record spanning journalism and publishing that is highly relevant to the future development of the business.  Launching his first magazine, Media Week, with two friends in 1985, he subsequently served on the boards of Emap Business Communications, IPC Media, Time Inc South Pacific, and Guardian Media Group, before joining BMJ as CEO in October 2012.  Tim was Chairman of the Newspaper Publishers Association, 2007-09; Visiting Fellow in Strategy at London Business School, 2011-12; serves on the UK Cabinet Office Digital Advisory Board; and is a director of the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

He joins NLA media access at a period of growth for the company, which saw income generated from licensing rise 15% in 2012 and £24 million paid back to publishers, funding the equivalent of 950 jobs in journalism and the extension of licensing and database services to include magazine and web titles.

David Pugh, NLA media access managing director said;
“Tim’s combination of senior press and magazine experience, together with his broad view of business will be a great asset.”  
“I look forward to working with him as we develop NLA media access to serve a wider group of publishers and continue to innovate to make licensing simpler for users of copyrighted content.”

Tim Brooks commented: ‘NLA media access works behind the scenes to provide a vital service for publishers. Having been an admirer both of the company’s strategy, and its ability to execute on that strategy, I am greatly looking forward to assisting in its continued development.’

David Pugh

Managing Director, NLA media access