The day-to-day operations of the Press Recognition Panel (PRP) are led by Chief Executive, Susie Uppal. Susie manages the small PRP executive team. The executive team delivers the work required to receive and consider applications for recognition from regulators of the press and other news publishers.
Susie is a solicitor by profession. Having moved from private practice where she specialised in commercial litigation, she held a number of high profile and senior operational positions within regulatory bodies. These included the roles of Director of Legal Enforcement for the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Head of Legal Enforcement for the Gambling Commission and, more recently, Senior Ombudsman at the Office for Legal Complaints.
In addition, Susie has significant experience in the set-up phase of organisations, and in translating policy and strategy into effective operational delivery. As well as her executive roles, Susie was an independent member of the Regulatory Affairs Board of the Law Society and is co-editor of the Blackstone’s’ Guide to the Equality Act 2010.
Is the Chair of the PRP and was formerly its Senior Independent Director and member of its Audit and Risk Committee. Kathryn is a chartered accountant who for many years was the consultant accountant for an international law firm and has a wealth of experience in legal and financial regulation. She is a lay member of the BMA’s Audit and Risk Committee, a trustee of the Royal Mencap Society, and a non-executive director at the English Bridge Union. She was previously a non-executive director of the UK Supreme Court and Companies House, Chair of the Office of Tax Simplification and a member of the External Audit Committee of the IMF.
Is the International Journalism Cluster lead in the Department of Journalism at City, University of London. She is a writer and researcher, with a passion for journalism ethics. Zahera is associate editor of the Journalism Practice journal and co-editor of the Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication, as well as a board member and trustee of the Dart Centre Europe for Journalism and Trauma, and a mentor and steering group member of the Marie Colvin Journalists’ Network.
Is an independent online consultant with a professional background in child welfare and child protection. She is an established expert in new media policy, and advises media companies on their safety strategy, public policy, stakeholder engagement and operational practices. Previously, she has held senior positions at Yahoo! and Vodafone Group, leading the company’s global content standards and user protection programme. She has extensive experience in leading the digital industry self-regulation in both the UK and EU, including producing UK and EU good practice standards for social media. She was a previous board member of the UK Government’s UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) and a founding member of the digital industry’s European ICT Coalition for Children Online. She is currently an Expert Advisor to the Panel on Children’s Viewing for the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).
Is an independent barrister at Matrix Chambers with over two decades of experience of regulatory law, competition law, and EU law. She is Professor of Commercial Law at Brunel University, a law lecturer at Oxford University, and a Visiting Professor at Imperial College, London. Suzanne is also an expert panel member of the UK Regulators Network, and a panel member of the Office for the Internal Market.
Most recently Group Finance Director of AIM-listed Watchstone Group plc, is an FCA member of the ICAEW and has over 30 years’ experience, initially at Deloitte, including 20 years at Board level. Mark is NED and Vice Chair of Horizons Education Trust, a multi-academy trust operating special schools in the East of England. Mark also Chairs the Finance/Audit Committee of Horizons. He is an Accountant Member of the Financial Reporting Council (“FRC”) Tribunal Panel. Mark has approximately 15 years’ experience in financial services businesses. Mark has held a variety of roles, including CFO in a wide range of businesses from listed groups to privately-owned companies. He was a founding executive of a successful technology-enabled financial services start-up. He has participated in: M&A, business integrations, and held numerous positions within regulated businesses including resolving issues within those under regulatory scrutiny. At Watchstone, Mark was the Executive Finance lead for the successful turnaround and restructuring of a once troubled business, involving intense financial reporting, regulatory, and legal issues, and corporate restructuring, including business disposals.
Hayley is a practicing solicitor with over 30 years’ experience as a partner in international law firms and leader in highly regulated, dynamic global environments. Notably, she served as the Group Chief Compliance and Legal Operations Officer at Sky, Europe’s leading media and communications company, and prior to this as its Legal Director for Consumer Affairs and Privacy, totalling 22 years. Hayley has deep expertise in navigating complex regulatory frameworks, and embedding strong governance, risk management, compliance, and ethical practices into business operations. Her experience includes a 12-year tenure on the Board of the UK Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, the co-regulatory body responsible for maintaining the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising Standards. Hayley is also a leader in legal operations, innovation, and cross-border transformation, and acts as a Strategic Board Advisor to pioneering startups focused on sustainability, innovation, and Generative AI.
Get in touch for more information and updates.
Papers and reports from our Board meetings are available online.
