PA Media Group’s long-standing chief executive, Clive Marshall, has announced plans to retire after 14 years at the helm of the national news agency and multi-media company.
Mr Marshall, 65, will step down next year after overseeing a “smooth transition” to new leadership.
During his tenure in the top job, he has led the firm’s transformation from a national news agency to an international multi-media business, with an annual turnover of more than £110 million.
Mr Marshall said: “It’s been a privilege to lead the PA Media Group over these past 14 years with the support of my hugely talented colleagues and, despite all the challenges our industry faces, build such a successful news and information business.
“This has been a tough decision but it’s time for me to retire from this full-time role and spend more time ticking off the dozens of Scottish Munro mountains I still have left to climb.”
His 45-year career in media first began in the advertising department of regional title the Southport Visiter, before he went on to hold roles including a decade as chief executive of Sydney-based Australian Associated Press.
His first stint at PA was as commercial director between 1993 and 2000.
He then returned 10 years later to take on the role leading the group.
Mr Marshall said: “PA has been such an important part of my working life.
“Its role as a lynchpin and innovator in an ever-changing media industry will continue to be critical.
“I’ll keep driving this brilliant business forward in the months ahead and oversee the smooth transition to new leadership.”
Under Mr Marshall’s leadership, PA Media has expanded further beyond its traditional national news agency for the UK and Ireland, with the group most recently acquiring Singapore-based racing data firm iRace Media to expand its global racing footprint.
He also oversaw the sale of its weather business, the Meteo Group, for a £125 million profit in 2013.
The group now encompasses stock imagery business Alamy, broadcast technology company Globelynx, social media specialists We Are Hydrogen, digital marketing agency Sticky and sports streaming provider StreamAMG.
It also owns stakes in financial news provider Alliance News and automotive content business Baize Group.
Murdoch MacLennan, chairman of PA Media Group, said Mr Marshall had been “an outstanding leader, steering the company through a challenging media landscape with commercial vision and formidable determination”.
“He will leave the company in great shape and with our sincere gratitude.”
After he steps down next year, Mr Marshall will continue in his roles as non-executive chairman of content licensing organisation NLA Media Access, the PA representative on the Nomination Committee of the Thomson Reuters Trust and as a trustee of the Royal National Children’s Springboard Foundation.