Patricia Cobian to join Guardian Media Group board
Patricia Cobian has been appointed as a non-executive director of the Guardian Media Group board.
Patricia Cobian has been appointed as a non-executive director of the Guardian Media Group board, taking up the position on 29 September.
Patricia recently stepped down as chief financial officer of Virgin Media O2 to become the Group CFO at BT in the summer 2026.
Patricia played a key role in the 2020 merger of Virgin Media and O2 and served as CFO of Virgin Media O2 since its launch in June 2021. Previously, Patricia was CFO of O2 UK and served on the Supervisory Board of Telefónica Deutschland from 2012 to 2020, leading on multiple transactions and strategic partnerships.
Patricia’s early career included a period as a consultant with McKinsey & Co, where she worked with global clients in Madrid, New York, and London. Before this, she was with Hewlett-Packard. She holds an MSc in Industrial Engineering from ICAI - Comillas Pontifical University.
Charles Gurassa, chair of the Guardian Media Group, said:
“Patricia’s commercial acumen, international experience and leadership skills will be crucial as we continue to build our global operation and respond to rapid transformation in the news media industry. I am delighted to welcome her to the Guardian Media Group board.”
Patricia Cobian said:
“I have long admired the Guardian’s commitment to independent journalism, the strength and depth of its investigative reporting and its relationship with its audience. I am impressed by the team’s innovative ethos and ambitious global vision and I am delighted to join the board and support its ongoing commercial and editorial success.”
Guardian Media Group is wholly owned by The Scott Trust Limited, which exists to secure the financial and editorial independence of the Guardian in perpetuity.
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Notes for editors
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About Guardian Media Group
Guardian Media Group is one of the world’s largest and most-trusted quality newsbrands, publisher of the Guardian, theguardian.com and the Guardian app.
Founded over 200 years ago, the Guardian now serves audiences through five editions: Australia, Europe, International, UK and US. With no billionaire owner, the Guardian is renowned for its fearless investigative journalism, holding power to account and amplifying the stories that need to be told. Its independent ownership structure means it is free from political or commercial influence.
Today, millions of people worldwide choose the Guardian’s journalism every day and more than two million readers across 180 countries have supported the Guardian’s work.
Audiences can listen to the Guardian’s top-rated podcasts, watch its award-winning documentaries and interact with its growing digital portfolio, from a premium live news app to the recipe app Feast.
Current board members can be found here.