Isabel Hilton and Richard Sambrook announced as co-chairs of TBIJ board

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism is delighted to welcome Isabel Hilton and Richard Sambrook as our co-Chairs of the Board. They bring a huge amount of knowledge and experience of public interest journalism, newsroom leadership and enviable global networks.

Isabel Hilton is the founder of China Dialogue. She worked for the Daily Express and The Sunday Times before joining the launch team for The Independent. She later worked on The World Tonight, as a columnist for The Guardian and for the New Yorker as a staff writer.

She said: “As a friend of the Bureau of Investigative Journalism for many years, I am delighted to be taking over as co-chair. It has been exciting to watch the Bureau grow and thrive over the years under the care of its remarkable chair, James Lee.

“I am looking forward immensely to working with Richard to take care of that legacy and to support TBIJ, with all its talented staff and under the leadership of CEO Rozina Breen, to take its vital work forward. Honest, rigorous public-interest investigative journalism has never been more needed and it is an honour to be associated with such a dedicated and effective team.”

Richard Sambrook is emeritus professor of journalism at Cardiff University. He was previously the director of BBC News and worked at the corporation for 30 years. He is a trustee of the World Wildlife Fund (UK) and of the International News Safety Institute, for which he led an inquiry into the deaths of journalists around the world.

He said: “I’m delighted to continue my support for the Bureau of Investigative Journalism as co-Chair alongside Isabel. TBIJ is a remarkable non-profit organisation undertaking some of the most complex public interest journalism in the UK and beyond.

“Public accountability is more important than ever and we have a strong and impressive team committed to shining a light into dark corners. With the support of an experienced board we look forward to taking the organisation forward to the next stage of its development.”

Rozina Breen said: “I’m looking forward to working alongside two phenomenal leaders and taking TBIJ into its next transformative phase.”