News Corporation Board

News Corporation is a publicly quoted company (that is, a PLC). That means that the ownership of the majority of the company (61%) is widely distributed among shareholders, although the Murdoch Family own the largest single concentration of share (39% via the Murdoch Family Trust / Cruden Financial Services LLC). In consequence the News Corporation Board cannot be regarded as an owner of the corporation in the classical sense. Nonetheless, the board is listed as such, as it exerts a dominant influence over corporation decisions.

In September 2021 News Corporation concluded a deal with the Murdoch Family Trust which ensured that neither party would take actions that would result in the combined shareholdings of the Trust and Murdoch family members exceeding more than 44% of the voting power of the Class B common stock. Nonetheless, that Lachlan Murdoch is simultaneously a beneficiary of the Murdoch Family Trust and Chairman of News Corporation means that the Murdoch family retains a very influential position within the corporation even if, in theory, the Murdoch family can be outvoted.

Lachlan Murdoch is currently the Co-Chair of News Corporation and Executive Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Fox Corporation (FOX). He is due to replace his father Rupert as sole chair of News Corporation in November 2023. 

Robert Thomson is chief executive officer of News Corporation. He took on the role in January 2013, having previously served as editor-in-chief of Dow Jones & Company and managing editor of The Wall Street Journal from May 2008. He has previously worked as editor of The Times of London, and of the U.S. edition of the Financial Times. He began working as a journalist with The Herald in Melbourne in 1979. 

Masroor Siddiqui is the Lead Director, News Corp. Chief Executive Officer, Naya Capital Management UK Limited. Colleague of UK PM Rishi Sunak whilst both worked at Goldman Sachs. Remains a “trusted advisor” to Sunak.

Kelly Ayotte is a Republican Senator for the state of New Hampshire 2011 - 2017. Has sat on the board of News Corporation since April 2017. Also currently sits on the board the Blackstone Group, Inc. (since May 2019) and Caterpillar Inc. (since August 2017). She also serves as director on the private company boards of BAE Systems, Inc. and Blink Health LLC, and serves on the advisory boards of Microsoft Corporation, Chubb Insurance and Cirtronics Corporation.

José María Aznar is a Former Leader of the centre-right People’s Party in Spain and Spanish Prime Minister 1996 - 2004. Has advised Rupert Murdoch since 2006. Since 2008, has publicly expressed scepticism about climate change.

Ana Paula Pessoa is a News Corp board member since 2013. (Former Strategic Planning Director at Sky Brazil 1998 - 2000) Chair of Credit Suisse Brasil, partner at Kunumi AI, board member at Suzano, Cosan and Salesforce. Member of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics Organizing Committee.

Natalie Bancroft’s News Corporation bio describes her as “a professionally trained opera singer” who graduated from L’Institut de Ribaupierre conservatory in Lausanne, Switzerland. She has also studied journalism. However, her presence on the News Corporation board stems from her place in the Bancroft family which owned the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) for decades. When News Corporation acquired the WSJ in 2007, Bancroft was selected to represent the family’s interests.