Former WRU Leader Honoured by Livery Company
A music, media and sports executive has been made a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers.
Roger Lewis has received the honour for his career spanning more than 40 years as a leader in the communications and sport industries.
The Stationers’ Company, as it is most commonly known, is one of the livery companies for the City of London. The Stationers’ Company was formed in 1403 and received a Royal Charter in 1557. The Company’s principal purpose today is to provide an independent forum where its members, the majority of whom are senior industry related executives, can advance the interests of the content and communications industries for the greater good.
Roger said:
“I am honoured to have been welcomed into the Company. The worldwide debate on how content is distributed and communicated accurately and fairly, protecting the interests of the public and the content creators, is as important and relevant to a fair and just society today as it has ever been. I will endeavour to support the values of the Company to ensure the best interests of all are upheld.”
Roger Lewis has spent more than 40 years as a leader in the fields of music, media and sports content, having held the positions of Head of BBC Radio 1 Music, a Managing Director of EMI Records, President of Decca Records, Managing Director and Programme Controller Classic FM, Managing Director ITV Wales and Group Chief Executive of the Welsh Rugby Union and Millennium Stadium. Until the end of 2023 he was Chair of the Racecourse Media Group, responsible for the media, data and content of the UK’s leading racecourses, a company he first joined in 2012.
Paul Wilson, Upper Warden of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Roger as a new freeman of the Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers. His distinguished career in media, music and in the publication of music resonates with our own historic role in the publication and copyrighting of music. Roger’s interest and experience in heritage matters is similarly very relevant to our role as custodians of a 350-year-old Grade 1 listed hall that is also one of London’s scheduled ancient monuments. We look forward to him playing an active role in helping the Stationers’ Company to remain relevant and successful in these fields.”