Toke Alex-Ibru becomes The Guardian CEO as Martins Oloja begins terminal leave

Toke Alex-Ibru has been appointed chief executive officer of The Guardian following notice of retirement of Martins Oloja.

Mr Oloja will stop being managing director/editor-in-chief at the end of March 2024.

In an announcement by the newspaper’s board on Monday, Mr Alex-Ibru is expected to deploy his experience in the corporate industry to enrich the brand equity of the 40-year-old newspaper.

Alex-Ibru, first son of The Guardian founder Alex Ibru, attended Cranleigh School and Wellington College. He is a 2002 history graduate of the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, and an alumnus of IESE Business School in Spain, where he had his executive education in media and entertainment.

He has over 15 years of commercial experience in publishing and seven years in hospitality management.

In his former capacity as an executive director, he was involved in the management, development and sustainability of the newspaper, coupled with his roles in its digital transformation and membership of The Guardian editorial board.

The restructuring of the newspaper began in April last year when the outgoing Oloja announced the former business editor, Oluwafemi Adekoya, as editor (daily) of the newspaper. Adekoya had then replaced Alabi Williams, who is now a member of the editorial board under the chairmanship of Professor Wale Omole, former vice chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

At the same time, the Saturday and Sunday editions of the newspaper were consolidated as weekend editions and Kabir Garba, another fresh scholar in the newsroom, was appointed as editor of the Weekend publications, while another young intellectual and head of the aviation desk, Wole Oyebade, was named deputy editor, (daily).

Speaking on his retirement, Oloja said, “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. 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.”

Oloja remains a member of the editorial board where he has served as a member, coordinator, and chief editorial writer since 2012 when he was appointed editor.