The Economist

The Economist magazine was founded in 1843 and has been an establishment publication from its inception. In 2006, the magazine's circulation was over 1 million copies, with the UK accounting for 158,000 copies and more than half sold in the US. By 2010 this had increased to over 1.4 million copies.

The Economist Group

The Economist Group owns and publishes the news magazine The Economist. Fifty per cent of the group consists of private independent shareholders, including the Rothschild family. The other fifty per cent is owned by The Financial Times, a subsidiary of Pearson PLC.

According to their website The Economist group "is the leading source of analysis on international business and world affairs. We deliver our information through a range of formats, from newspaper and magazines to conferences and electronic services. What ties us together is the objectivity of our opinion, the originality of our insight and our advocacy of economic and political freedom around the world."

People

Economist Group Board of Directors

Sir Robert Wilson, Non Executive Chairman | Sir David Bell, Non-Executive Director | Rona Fairhead, Non-Executive Director | John Gardiner, Non-Executive Director | Philip Mengel, Non-Executive Director | John Micklethwait, Director | Nigel Morris, Non-Executive Director | Rupert Pennent-Rea, Non-Executive Director | Andrew Rashbass, Chief Information Officer | Simon Robertson, Non-Executive Director | Lynn Forester de Rothschild, Non-Executive Director | Lord Stevenson of Coddenham, Non-Executive Director | Chris Stibbs, Finance Director

Principals

• Robert Wilson – Chairman

Editors

• John Micklethwait – Editor-in-Chief
• Bill Emmott – former editor (from 1993 until Feb. 2006)
• Michael Reid – Americas Editor
• Emma Duncan – deputy editor and former UK editor
• Edward Lucas – Deputy Editor of the International Section

Journalists

Andrew Knight |

Key personnel

• 2009 Rupert Pennant-Rea, a former editor of The Economist, is appointed chairman.
• 2008 Andrew Rashbass, previously publisher of The Economist, becomes Group chief executive on July 16th. This followed Helen Alexander's announcement in April that she would step down at the annual general meeting on July 15th.
• 2006 John Micklethwait becomes editor of The Economist.
• 2003 Sir Robert Wilson is appointed chairman.
• 1997 Helen Alexander is appointed chief executive of The Economist Group.
• 1994 Sir Dominic Cadbury is appointed chairman.
• 1993 Marjorie Scardino becomes chief executive of The Economist Group; Bill Emmott is appointed editor of The Economist.
• 1992 The Group acquires an interest in Roll Call, the leading publication in Congressional news and analysis that was founded in Washington, DC in 1955. The remaining equity was acquired in 1993.
• 1989 Sir John Harvey-Jones is appointed chairman.
• 1986 Rupert Pennant-Rea is made editor of The Economist; The Group acquires Business International, which merged withEconomist Intelligence Unit in 1987.
• 1981 David Gordon is appointed chief executive of The Economist Group.
• 1974 Andrew Knight becomes editor of The Economist. He was responsible for introducing science and technology pages.
• 1972 Sir Evelyn de Rothschild is appointed chairman.
• 1963 Lord Crowther is appointed chairman.
• 1944 Lord Layton is appointed chairman.
• 1938 Geoffrey Crowther becomes editor of The Economist. He was later appointed managing director and then chairman.
• 1929 Sir Henry Strakosch is appointed chairman.
• 1922 WT Layton is appointed editor.
• 1861 Walter Bagehot, now remembered in the Bagehot column, becomes editor.
• 1843 The Economist: A Political, Commercial, Agricultural, & Free-Trade Journal is founded by James Wilson.

Affiliations

• Economist Intelligence Unit – a premium business publication published by The Economist | European Voice - the Brussels Euro-quartier village newspaper | Roll Call, the Washington DC Beltway insider publication | CQ Weekly | EuroFinance |

References, Resources and Contact

Contact

Web: www.economist.com