Tom Mockridge
BornJuly 1955[1]
New Zealand

Thomas Mockridge (born July 1955[2] in New Zealand) is the chairman and chief executive officer of Virgin Fibra. Prior to founding the italian-based broadband operator, he has been CEO of Virgin Media until June 2019, CEO of News International until December 2012, and the foundation CEO of Sky Italia until July 2011.

Career

Early days

Mockridge began his career in his native New Zealand; starting in 1977 as a reporter for the New Plymouth-based Taranaki Daily News in the small central North Island town of Taumarunui.[3]

He moved to Australia in 1980, working first for the Sydney Morning Herald as economics correspondent, then as an adviser for the Australian Treasurer Paul Keating. He also worked for The Australian. He joined News Limited in January 1991, where he was assistant CEO to Ken Cowley until 1996. He then became CEO of Foxtel, a post which he held for three years. Mockridge then moved to Hong Kong.[4]

Appointed managing director of Independent Newspapers in 2001, New Zealand's largest newspaper publisher and a subsidiary of News Corporation, he was also appointed Chairman of pay TV group Sky New Zealand.[4]

Sky Italia

In 2002, Mockridge led the merger between Stream TV and Tele+, which resulted in the creation of Sky Italia. On completion of the merger, he was appointed CEO of Sky Italia. In 2008 Mockridge was appointed managing director of European Television (all News Corps TV assets outside the UK), reporting to James Murdoch.[4][5] He was later appointed to the board of British Sky Broadcasting, a position he still holds.[4][6]

He was head of Sky Italia when he replaced Rebekah Brooks as chief executive of News International after she had resigned on 15 July 2011.[7]

News International

On 17 January 2012 he appeared before the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics. He eventually backed Lord Justice Brian Leveson's recommendation that the UK set up a regulatory system for reining in the British media's worst excesses.[8]

In December 2012 he resigned from his position as head of Murdoch's UK newspapers.[9]

Virgin Media

In June 2013 he took up the post of chief executive of Virgin Media, following the completion of the takeover by Liberty Global and leaving in 2019 to be replaced by Lutz Schuler.[10]

Virgin Fibra

Returning to Italy, in August 2020 he founded Virgin Fibra with two other partners, and was later joined by other entrepreneurs and businessmen. After two years of startup activity, the business launched on 17 August 2022 and is now part of the Virgin Group,[11] becoming the third company ever in Italy to carry the brand of Richard Branson.

Virgin Fibra runs as a fixed broadband operator in the Italian telco industry, specializing in exclusively FTTP broadband service in partnership with Open Fiber.[12] Its services are available throughout the country to both private customers and SMEs.

Personal life

His wife is an Italian citizen.[13] They have two children.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Thomas MOCKRIDGE personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".
  2. ↑ "FACTBOX-Who is Tom Mockridge?". Reuters. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  3. ↑ Michelle Duff (18 July 2011). "From reporter in flares to tough-minded fix-it man". Dominion Post. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Amy Willis (15 July 2011). "Tom Mockridge profile: a trusted lieutenant of Murdoch's empire". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  5. ↑ "News Corporation Names Tom Mockridge Chief Executive, European Television". News Corporation. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  6. ↑ Louise Armitstead (14 July 2011). "Phone hacking: Investor group Pirc raises concerns over BSkyB". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  7. ↑ Samira Shackle (15 July 2011). "Ed Miliband calls for the break-up of the Murdoch Empire". New Statesman. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  8. ↑ "Kiwi media boss backs Leveson result". 3 News NZ. 30 November 2012.
  9. ↑ "Kiwi quits as Murdoch's (UK) newspaper boss". Stuff NZ. 3 December 2012.
  10. ↑ Deans, Jason (8 May 2013). "Tom Mockridge appointed as Virgin Media chief executive". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  11. ↑ "Branson-Backed Group Starts Virgin Broadband Service in Italy". Bloomberg.com. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  12. ↑ "Open Fiber e Virgin Fibra siglano una partnership per la connettività ultraveloce in Italia". Open Fiber (in Italian). Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  13. ↑ Ben Fenton (28 June 2010). "Sky Italia chief plays fair with Mediaset". Financial Times. Retrieved 15 July 2011.


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