LONDON, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Emily Shelley has been appointed as the new chief executive officer (CEO) at Britain's PA Media Group, according to a press statement released Friday.
Shelley, formerly managing director of PA's stock imagery agency Alamy, would be the first woman to lead the business in its 155-year history.
Replacing Clive Marshall, who is retiring after 14 years at the helm, Shelley will step into her new role in the coming weeks.
Shelley said: "When I joined PA as a grad trainee in 1999, I knew this was an organization where I could build my career ... In the rapidly-changing media world, PA's combination of maintaining traditional journalistic excellence and embracing cutting-edge technological innovation is, in my view, key to our continued success."
Shelley began her career at PA as a news production trainee and worked in several editorial roles before launching a digital showbiz news service in 2006 as showbiz editor.
She became features editor in 2007 before moving into various commercial and management positions within PA.
In 2013, Shelley was instrumental in launching a new bespoke content service for corporate clients and played an integral role in the acquisition of content agency Sticky, then becoming its managing director.
After six years at Sticky, Shelley was appointed managing director at Alamy to lead the expanding global platform, post-acquisition. In 2022, Shelley was appointed to the PA Media Group board.
PA Media Group chairman Murdoch MacLennan said: "Emily's appointment is a tribute both to her remarkable skills and to the strengths and depth of PA Media Group ... Emily's appointment will ensure we build on the success of Clive's tenure. We wish her every success and thank Clive for his outstanding service."
Outgoing CEO Marshall said: "I've worked closely with Emily for many years and I couldn't be happier with the board's choice of her as my successor. I'll be leaving the ship in safe and talented hands. I wish her and the entire PA team the very best for the future." ■
