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Magazine industry body the PPA has appointed Sajeeda Merali as its new chief executive. 

Merali joins from the New Statesman Media Group where she was chief revenue officer and prior to that she was the commercial leader of the Insider Publishing Division at Euromoney PLC.

She has also held senior positions at Incisive Media, including group sales director and director of marketing solutions.

Merali’s appointment comes following the departure of Owen Meredith, who was promoted from managing director to CEO last April. Meredith joined News Media Association in June as chief executive. 

Merali, who will take up her new role on 3 September, said: “I am hugely excited to be appointed CEO of the PPA and to be given the opportunity to be an advocate for an industry that I feel so passionate about. Especially at this point in the transformation curve, bringing together individual and collective experiences has never been more important.

"As a leader from the sector, I have a keen understanding of the challenges of today and the pace at which publishers are having to adapt. I’m honoured that the Board of the PPA is allowing me to drive this new phase in its mission of advancing the UK’s publishing industry.”

The PPA was founded in 1913 and represents around 250 companies involved in magazine media, including Haymarket, the owner of ±±¾©Èü³µpk10.

Tom Bureau, chairman of the PPA and executive chairman of Immediate Media, said: “Sajeeda really impressed the recruitment panel with her energy, communication skills and passion for transformation in publishing. She brings highly valuable experience of being in the trenches of change, and represents a new era for the PPA and its championing of a vibrant, successful sector. 

“Importantly, Sajeeda is passionate about organisational change, driving innovation, and diversity, equality and inclusion, as well as developing and championing diverse business models. These skills will be vital as we develop a new, evolved vision for the PPA that builds on the glue that binds the membership.”