Andrew Neil

Journalist & Publisher

Between 1997 and 2005, Andrew Neil was Publisher of The Scotsman Group of newspapers, which was acquired in 1996 for £85m and sold to Johnston Press in January 2006 in a deal worth almost £200m. He was also CEO of handbag.com, the UK’s biggest online women’s magazine, which he acquired for his proprietors for £500,000 and sold 18 months later to Hearst Magazine for £22m.

During his career Andrew Neil has been UK Editor of The Economist, Editor of The Sunday Times, Executive Chairman of Sky Television, Executive Editor of Fox Television News of America, a well-known anchorman on British television and a regular political/economic commentator on all the American networks and news channels.

The Early Years of Andrew Neil

Born in Scotland in 1949, Neil attended Paisley Grammar School and the University of Glasgow, studying economics and American History.

His first job was as political adviser to the Secretary of State for the Environment in Edward Heath’s Conservative Government in London. He specialized in housing and regional policy.

 In 1973 Andrew Neil became a correspondent for The Economist, where his first major assignment was to cover Ulster at the height of the Belfast troubles. He returned to London to become the magazine’s political and lobby correspondent in the House of Commons, then its industrial and labour correspondent covering both unions and business in Britain and Europe.

He became American correspondent of The Economist in 1979, and then returned to the UK to become Editor of The Economist.  In 1982 Andrew edited and published The Cable Revolution, a prophetic guide to the new multi-channel world of cable and satellite in Europe.

A year later he became editor of the Sunday Times and remained in that post for 11 years. He developed the newspaper into the undisputed 10-section market leader which it remains today.

While still editing The Sunday Times, Neil presided over the successful launch of Sky Television, and was Executive Chairman of Sky from 1988 to 1990.

In the summer of 1994, Neil was seconded to New York to become executive editor of Fox TV’s first tentative steps into network news. With Fox uncertain of its plans, Neil decided to resign from both The Sunday Times and Fox Television to begin a new career as an independent broadcaster, publisher, writer and businessman. He took on the role of Publisher of The Scotsman Group of newspapers, and a Sunday Business paper.

Life in Broadcasting & Presenting

While carving out a reputation in print journalism that made him Britain’s best-known editor, Andrew Neil has also enjoyed a distinguished career in broadcasting.

BBC documentaries, radio shows, the Andrew Neil Show on BBC2, Is This Your Life? On Channel 4, the Andrew Neil Breakfast Show for BBC Radio Five, and live commentary for hours of British and American high profile live events such as elections. Among the many world leaders he has interviewed are Ronald Reagan, Mrs Gandhi, Tony Blair, Jimmy Carter, Margaret Thatcher, Henry Kissinger and Boris Yeltsin.

More BBC work followed including This Week with Andrew Neil, The daily Politics, and Straight Talk with Andrew Neil.

Andrew Neil as an Author

In October 1996 Neil published his autobiography Full Disclosure, and he continues to be a senior contributing editor to Vanity Fair.

Speaking Topics and Corporate Speaking Events

Andrew Neil is much in demand worldwide as a speaker lecturing on British, American and European politics/economics, the future of the euro and the dollar and the impact of information technology on business, with special emphasis on the opportunity and challenge of electronic commerce, on which he has spoken to most of the world’s major IT companies.

For further information or to book Andrew Neil, call us at Speakers Corner on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk