REUTERS – Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp (NWSA.O) announced it nominated Álvaro Uribe, former president of Colombia, and Elaine L. Chao, former U.S. secretary of labor, to its board.
They will stand for election during News Corp’s annual shareholder meeting on October 16 in Los Angeles, the company said on Tuesday.
Current directors Andrew Knight and John Thornton will retire from the board after the annual meeting. Board member Arthur Siskind will serve as a director emeritus, the company said.
Uribe is considered a hero to many in his country for making Colombia’s cities and highways safer during his 2002-2010 presidency. He stepped down in 2010 with a 75 percent approval rating after battling guerrillas and increasing investment in Colombia.
Chao served as secretary of labor in President George W. Bush’s cabinet from 2001 to 2009.
News Corp has been under intense pressure and scrutiny as it deals with the aftermath of a phone hacking scandal that has enveloped its British newspaper arm.
News Corp plans to split the $60 billion media conglomerate into separate publishing and entertainment businesses next year.
The company’s assets include 20th Century Fox, the Fox News Channel, the Wall Street Journal, and HarperCollins book publishing. (Reporting by Siddharth Cavale and Jennifer Saba; Additional reporting by Liana B. Baker; Editing by Joyjeet Das and Phil Berlowitz)
