Chairman ‘has been a very good friend to Press and island’
CHARM, calm and courtesy are three of Terry Holder’s major characteristics, according to some of his former colleagues.
Mr Holder is to retire tomorrow as chairman and publisher of the Guernsey Press, a position he has held since 2004, but his time involved with the Channel Islands’ daily newspapers dates back to 1997, when he was appointed a non-executive director of the Jersey Evening Post, adding a similar role at the Guernsey Press in 1999.
One of the first island people to work with Mr Holder was Guiton Group chairman John Averty. It was the Guiton Group who first approached Mr Holder when he moved to Guernsey in 1990, with a view to his helping out with its Freestyle publication, later the Guernsey Globe.
Mr Averty said it was fortunate for the islands’ newspapers, and in particular readers in Guernsey, when Mr Holder and his wife Judith decided to settle here.
‘For 30 years he has with charm, fairness, great expertise and commercial acumen steered the businesses which provided islanders with their printed news, principally as chairman of the Guernsey Press,’ said Mr Averty.
‘He has always been very supportive of management and staff, principled, and ready to defend the rights of a free press and their duty to inform, expose, campaign and hold those in power to account.
‘He has been a very good friend to the Press, Guernsey, and me personally, and I hope he has the long, healthy and happy retirement he deserves.'
Former Guernsey Press editor Richard Digard and his wife Di have worked with Mr Holder for some 30 years, he said, with Mrs Digard initially working with him at the Globe before she moved to the Press.
Mr Digard worked closely with Mr Holder during the former’s 14 years in the editor’s chair, up to 2014: ‘He’s an old school print newspaper man, committed to giving readers and advertisers what they wanted and required and a real gent to work with: courteous, unflappable and with a depth of knowledge and experience that was invaluable,’ said Mr Digard.
‘Get him on board and he was a supportive chairman. Without his backing, for instance, we would not have run the Policy Council conflict of interest story that became known as Fallagate and led to mass ministerial resignations.’
He added that then Guernsey Press managing director Paul Carter could give him only a short time to make a call on publishing or not, which showed that he was also decisive.
Current Press MD Mark Lewis said he did not know Mr Holder when he moved to the island in 2007, but warmed to him instantly upon meeting.
‘An absolute gentleman, hugely knowledgeable. He allowed the operational directors to manage the business whilst keeping a keen interest in all matters,’ he said.
‘As chairman of the Guernsey Press, he was an important member of the Guiton Publishing board and an important ally for me when representing Guernsey interests in a pan-island business.
‘Terry stood beside me in 2008 during the financial crash and later during the uncertainty over Brexit. More recently, he remained committed during the joint acquisition of the Guernsey Press by Bailiwick Investments Ltd and MXC Guernsey Ltd and the first year’s transition of new ownership.’
The two men have become friends, as have their wives, Judith and Lea.
Mr Lewis said paths often cross, directly or indirectly, in the world of publishing, and when he and his wife visited the Holders for dinner one evening they were introduced to a former business partner of Mr Holder’s, who it turned out, was a director of the company where Mr Lewis worked some 25 years earlier.
‘I wish Terry every happiness in what he decides to do in the future which will no doubt include spending more time with the family, and travelling,’ said Mr Lewis.
Current Guernsey Press editor Shaun Green said that Mr Holder had been a huge support during turbulent times for the industry. ‘It is not well understood quite how difficult and important the role of chairman of a newspaper is.
‘Terry has never sought the limelight but has always offered the team his support and advice while respecting the boundaries between the interests of the company and that of the newspaper, which are not always aligned.
‘It is a vital role that enables readers to trust our independent and impartial journalism.
‘We will all miss Terry greatly.’
