Lara Boro joined the Group in 2019, overseeing a period of digital transformation and strong commercial growth, says The Economist Group. Under her leadership The Economist’s subscription base shifted from majority print to one in which over 80% of new subscriptions are digital only, added the publisher. Overall subscriptions rose from 1.1m to 1.3m, while annual Group profit grew from £31m to over £50m. Under Ms Boro’s leadership the Group launched paid podcasts and the Insider video product, developed its corporate subscription offering and established an AI lab to drive innovation. In the past year she consolidated the group’s B2B business lines into a single unit “Economist Enterprise” serving private and public-sector clients.
Luke Bradley-Jones, currently president of The Economist, joined The Economist Group in August 2024. Over the past two years he has led the development of The Economist’s commercial strategy for video and audio, including the launch of the new video offering The Economist Insider, the publisher continued. Before joining The Economist Group he served as General Manager, Disney+ EMEA at The Walt Disney Company and spent eight years at Sky including as chief marketing officer. Before Sky, he held leadership roles in digital, business development and strategy at BBC Worldwide.
Paul Deighton, chair of The Economist Group, said: “I want to thank Lara for her transformational leadership over the past seven years. The Economist Group is now a truly digital-first business that is ready to seize the opportunities of AI. The commercial success and business resilience that Lara has fostered during her tenure mean that the independence of The Economist’s world-class journalism is further safeguarded for generations to come. And I am delighted to welcome Luke Bradley-Jones as our new Group CEO later this summer. He is the right leader to take the Group forward during this next exciting chapter of change, and I’m looking forward to working with him and the team.”
Lara Boro said: “I would like to thank Paul, the board, and Zanny Minton Beddoes for their unwavering support over the seven years. I also want to thank my leadership team for delivering the digital transformation whilst maintaining a focus on product excellence and consistent delivery of results for shareholders. I know that Luke and the team will build an exciting next chapter for The Economist Group, with sustainable growth and editorial independence at its heart.”
Luke Bradley-Jones said: "I am honoured to have been asked to take on the role of CEO of The Economist Group. I love The Economist brand, and believe our unique journalism and world-class business services matter more than ever in today's turbulent world – a moment that also presents real growth opportunities for the business. I look forward to working with the board to build on Lara’s considerable achievements over the past seven years."
Keep up-to-date with publishing news: sign up here for InPubWeekly, our free weekly e-newsletter.
