Nigeria’s The Guardian appoints Alex-Ibru as chief executive

Lagos-based The Guardian newspaper has named Toke Alex-Ibru as its new chief executive officer.

The appointment comes as the paper’s longstanding editor-in-chief and managing director Martins Oloja, retires in March.

Mr Alex-Ibru is the son of the paper’s founder, Alex Ibru. The paper’s publisher and board chairman, Maiden Alex-Ibru, praised Mr Oloja’s “invaluable, remarkable and unblemished service records” in the company.

Mr Oloja is leaving the paper after more than 24 years at the company. The announcement is the 40-year-old paper’s first major appointment since last April’s appointment of at least three doctorate degree holders to key newsroom roles.

“The disruption of the management operations is on course, and the young ones in charge now have done well to continue with the legacy of the founder of the great newspaper,” Mr Oloja was quoted as saying.

“I am very proud of my initiative to fight for young scholars to take over the editorial management of the editorial operations. So, the Board is just solidifying the model we started in April by the appointment of Toke as CEO.”

Toke Alex-Ibru

Mr Alex-Ibru, the new chief executive, is a 2002 History graduate of the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, and an alumni member of IESE Business School in Spain, where he did his Executive Education in Media and Entertainment.

He has had over 15 years of commercial experience in publishing and seven years in hospitality management. In 2003, he established Lexan Media Services Ltd, which provides consulting services to global brands entering the Nigerian market.

Mr Alex-Ibru is currently a director on the boards of Ikeja Hotels Plc, Tourist Company of Nigeria Plc and is the chairman of Charles Hampton, a subsidiary of Ikeja Hotels and in equity partnership with Lagos State Government’s Ibile Holdings. He is the publisher of Marie Claire Nigeria under licence from the Marie Claire International media group in France.