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Johnston Press's Overview

Total employees2500
HeadquartersEdinburgh
Founded1767

Johnston Press PLC was one of the largest local and regional newspaper publishers in the United Kingdom, with a history dating back to 1767. The company owned a vast portfolio of titles including The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post, and numerous local newspapers. Facing financial difficulties and declining print advertising revenue, Johnston Press entered administration in November 2018. Its assets were acquired by JPIMedia, a new company formed by its bondholders. In 2021, JPIMedia was subsequently acquired by National World PLC.

Where is Johnston Press's Headquarters?

HQ Function

Served as the central administrative, strategic, and financial hub for the company's nationwide newspaper publishing operations.

Notable Features:

A modern office building housing key corporate functions, editorial oversight for national titles, and central support services.

Work Culture:

Likely a dynamic, deadline-driven environment typical of the news and publishing industry, with a mix of journalistic, commercial, and administrative roles.

HQ Significance:

The nerve center for one of the UK's most extensive regional media networks, overseeing hundreds of local and regional titles.

Values Reflected in HQ: Centralization of control and strategy for a geographically dispersed publishing empire.

Location:

Johnston Press's operations were primarily concentrated within the United Kingdom, with a significant presence in Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland. They also had some newspaper interests in the Republic of Ireland. Their focus was on local and regional news publishing within these territories.

Street Address:

Orchard Brae House, 30 Queensferry Road

City:

Edinburgh

State/Province:

Scotland

Country:

United Kingdom

Johnston Press's Global Presence

Leeds, West Yorkshire/United Kingdom

Address: No. 1 Leeds, 26 Whitehall Road, Leeds, LS12 1BE (Historical address for Yorkshire Post Newspapers)

Served as the operational center for Yorkshire and surrounding regions, managing news gathering, printing, and distribution.

Peterborough, Cambridgeshire/United Kingdom

Address: Unex House, Bourges Boulevard, Peterborough, PE1 1NG (Historical East Midlands/Anglia hub)

Coordinated editorial content, advertising sales, and distribution for local newspapers across Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, and surrounding areas.

Portsmouth, Hampshire/United Kingdom

Address: 1000 Lakeside, North Harbour, Western Road, Portsmouth, PO6 3EN (Historical address for The News)

Managed news operations and commercial activities for publications serving Hampshire and West Sussex.

Buying Intent Signals for Johnston Press

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Executive Team of Johnston Press

As of April 2025, Johnston Press' leadership includes:

David King - Chief Executive Officer (from 2017)
David Dearing - Chief Financial Officer
Ashley Highfield - Former Chief Executive Officer (until 2017)

Investors of Johnston Press

Johnston Press has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Custos Group AB (Christen Ager-Hanssen)
Various institutional investors (as a publicly listed company)
Retail shareholders

Executive New Hires/Exits in the Last 12 Months

Hire0
Exits0

Johnston Press saw significant leadership changes in the period leading up to its administration in late 2018. As the company is no longer operating under this name, there have been no executive hires or exits for 'Johnston Press' in the literal last 12 months. The information below reflects key historical changes.

Departures

Ashley Highfield, Ashley Highfield stepped down as CEO of Johnston Press after several years leading the company.

New Appointments:

David King, David King, who had been serving as CFO, was appointed as CEO to navigate the company through challenging times.

Technology (Tech Stack) used by Johnston Press

Discover the tools Johnston Press uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Johnston Press Email Formats and Examples

Historically, Johnston Press likely used common corporate email formats. Given the company's acquisition and rebranding, these formats are no longer active.

Common formats were likely [first].[last]@johnstonpress.co.uk or [first_initial][last]@johnstonpress.co.uk

Format

jane.doe@johnstonpress.co.uk

Example

0%

Success rate

News and media

BBC NewsNovember 17, 2018

Johnston Press: Publisher of The Scotsman put into administration

Johnston Press, publisher of The Scotsman and Yorkshire Post, was placed into administration. Its assets were immediately sold to JPIMedia, a new company formed by its creditors....more

The GuardianJanuary 2, 2021

National World buys JPI Media local newspapers including Scotsman

National World, a new media group led by David Montgomery, acquired JPIMedia Publishing Ltd and its subsidiaries, which included the assets formerly belonging to Johnston Press, for £10.2m....more

Financial TimesMay 9, 2017

Johnston Press chief Ashley Highfield to step down

Ashley Highfield announced he would be stepping down as chief executive of Johnston Press after nearly six years in the role, amidst ongoing challenges in the regional newspaper market....more

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