Ashley Highfield

Ashley Highfield Is Chairman of Oyster Yachts Limited (since May 2018), makers of luxury British sailing boats. He is also founder of Henley Partners limited, his vehicle for investing in and advising businesses across a range of sectors. He is an Associate Director of Deloitte LLP. Between 2011 and 2018 he was CEO of Johnston Press Plc, owners of The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post, and (from April 2016) i in May 2018. He has also worked for Microsoft and the BBC as main board director responsible for New Media and Technology.

In June 2015 Culture Secretary John Whittingdale named Highfield as one of eight people on an advisory board tasked with working on the renewal of the BBC's royal charter - which sets out the corporation's remit. In October 2015 he was appointed Chairman of the News Media Association, the trade body for the UK's newspaper industry. He has held a number of non-executive roles, most recently on the boards of William Hill plc (for 9 years between 2009 and 2018) and the British Film Institute (for 7 years between 2010 and 2017).