- Matthew Garrahan, FT journalist with nearly 30 years’ experience, joins Redbird Capital as operating partner
- Redbird’s planned acquisition of The Telegraph awaits regulatory approval
- The deal signals a strategic shift aiming to grow the newspaper’s digital and international presence
Financial Times journalist Matthew Garrahan is leaving the publication after nearly three decades to join Redbird Capital Partners, the US private investment firm in the process of acquiring The Telegraph. Garrahan becomes operating partner for news and entertainment, based in London, where he will help drive growth across Redbird’s expanding global media portfolio.
The appointment highlights Redbird’s effort to blend editorial expertise with financial and strategic oversight as it moves deeper into the UK media market. The firm’s £500 million takeover of Telegraph Media Group, which includes the Daily and Sunday Telegraph, is subject to regulatory approval.
Garrahan joined the FT in 1998 and has held a range of senior roles, including news editor and head of digital platforms and strategy. His reporting on the Harvey Weinstein scandal won the Arts and Entertainment prize at the 2018 Press Gazette British Journalism Awards.
Redbird’s planned acquisition follows the Barclay family’s decision to sell the 170-year-old publisher to clear debts. The sale excludes The Spectator, which was sold separately in 2023.
An earlier attempt to buy The Telegraph alongside Abu Dhabi–backed International Media Investments (IMI) collapsed after UK legislation restricted foreign state ownership in domestic media. IMI is now expected to retain a minority stake of up to 15% under revised rules.
Redbird, which manages about $12 billion in assets, has built a broad media and sports portfolio including All3Media, Liverpool FC, Fulwell 73 and Channel 5. Reports suggest the firm is also in talks with British investors such as Lord Rothermere and Sir Leonard Blavatnik about taking minority stakes in the Telegraph deal.
Telegraph editor Chris Evans has welcomed Redbird’s involvement, citing the publisher’s growing digital subscriptions and opportunities for international expansion. CEO Anna Jones said the partnership promises to “unlock the full potential” of the business.
Redbird founder Gerry Cardinale has described the acquisition as the start of a “new era” for the Telegraph, focused on growth, technology investment and audience expansion.
Garrahan said he was excited to bring his FT experience to Redbird’s media ventures, praising the firm’s model of integrating experienced operators into its portfolio companies.
The deal now awaits clearance from the Competition and Markets Authority and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, both of which are reviewing its implications for competition and press freedom. If approved, it will mark a significant shift in ownership and leadership for one of Britain’s most influential newspapers.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://londonjournal.co.uk/2025/10/12/matthew-garrahan-leaves-ft-for-redbird-news-division-leadership-role/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/redbird-capital-formally-requests-approval-acquisition-uks-telegraph-2025-10-10/ – RedBird Capital Partners has officially submitted a request to the UK government for approval to acquire The Telegraph newspaper. The proposed deal values the publication at £500 million ($667.5 million). Abu Dhabi-backed IMI will participate as a minority investor with its stake limited to 15%, in compliance with UK regulations on foreign state investment in the media. Previously, ownership of The Telegraph became uncertain after the government imposed restrictions on foreign state control of British newspapers, which affected IMI’s initial acquisition in 2023. A Public Interest Intervention Notice was issued in early 2024 as RedBird and IMI first pursued joint control. The current government has since relaxed restrictions, allowing foreign investors a minority stake, enabling the revised deal. RedBird remains confident in The Telegraph’s value despite the challenges facing journalism, such as AI and changes in media consumption. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport acknowledged receipt of the request but declined further comment. RedBird, with $12 billion in assets, has investments in AC Milan, Skydance Media, and a forthcoming merger with Paramount Global. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/redbird-capital-formally-requests-approval-acquisition-uks-telegraph-2025-10-10/?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.thewrap.com/the-telegraph-redbird-capital-partners-acquisition/ – RedBird Capital Partners has set an in-principle agreement to acquire Telegraph Media Group for $675.7 million (£500m), the American investment management firm announced on Friday. RedBird will now become the sole owner of The Telegraph as it looks to take the 170-year-old British daily newspaper international. “The Telegraph has made enormous progress in recent years since the launch of its digital subscriptions strategy, thanks to the hard work of its brilliant staff. But there is much more that can be achieved,” The Daily Telegraph editor Chris Evans said in a statement. “With the right plan and the right investment by ambitious new owners, this venerable title can look forward to an era of unprecedented success.” “This transaction marks the start of a new era for The Telegraph as we look to grow the brand in the U.K. and internationally, invest in its technology and expand its subscriber base. We believe that the U.K. is a great place to invest, and this acquisition is an important part of RedBird’s growing portfolio of media and entertainment companies in the U.K.,” RedBird founder and managing partner Gerry Cardinale added. “Having now spent time with Chris Evans, Anna Jones and the entire senior management team at The Telegraph, we have tremendous conviction in the growth potential of this incredibly important cultural institution.” ([thewrap.com](https://www.thewrap.com/the-telegraph-redbird-capital-partners-acquisition/?utm_source=openai))
- https://apnews.com/article/5ae89f1d74a72a54b6eca38794564162 – RedBird Capital Partners, a U.S. investment firm, has agreed to purchase the Telegraph Media Group, the publisher of the 170-year-old Daily Telegraph, for approximately £500 million ($674 million). This acquisition marks the end of a prolonged sale process initiated when the previous owners, the Barclay family, put the group up for sale to clear debts. The sale includes the Daily and Sunday Telegraph newspapers but excludes The Spectator, which was sold separately in 2023 to British investor Paul Marshall. A previous bid by RedBird IMI—a consortium involving RedBird and Sheikh Mansour of Abu Dhabi—was withdrawn due to UK government opposition to foreign state influence in media. In the final agreement, Abu Dhabi’s IMI will hold a minority stake capped at 15%. The deal remains subject to regulatory approval. RedBird aims to grow the Telegraph’s brand, invest in technology, and expand its subscriber base. The investment firm has notable holdings in sports and media, including AC Milan and Skydance. Telegraph CEO Anna Jones expressed optimism about the firm’s ambitious growth plans under RedBird’s leadership. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/5ae89f1d74a72a54b6eca38794564162?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/05/26/us-investment-firm-redbird-plans-to-buy-britains-telegraph-newspaper – A consortium led by US investment firm RedBird Capital Partners has agreed to buy the publisher of Britain’s 170-year-old Daily Telegraph newspaper for about £500 million (€595.5m), the two sides said on Friday. RedBird said it has reached an agreement in principle to … the controlling owner of the Telegraph Media … . Gerry Cardinale, founder and managing … “marks the start of a new … , as we look to grow the … UK and internationally, invest in its … .” The Telegraph group, previously owned by Britain’s Barclay family, was put … family’s debts. It publishes the daily … are all closely allied to Britain’s Conservative Party. In 2023, there was an offer to buy the publications from RedBird IMI, a consortium backed by RedBird Capital Partners and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of Abu Dhabi’s royal family and the vice president of the United Arab Emirates. However, the consortium pulled out last year following strong opposition from the UK government, which launched legislation to block foreign state ownership of the British press. Under the deal, Abu Dhabi’s IMI will take a minority stake of not more than 15% in the Telegraph as a member of the consortium. The sale must be approved by British regulators. RedBird has investments in football team AC Milan, the parent company of Liverpool football club and film production company Skydance. Telegraph Media Group chief executive Anna Jones said that “RedBird Capital Partners have exciting growth plans that build on our success — and will unlock our full potential across the breadth of our business.” ([euronews.com](https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/05/26/us-investment-firm-redbird-plans-to-buy-britains-telegraph-newspaper?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.btimesonline.com/articles/174428/20250523/u-s-firm-redbird-to-acquire-telegraph-in-674-million-deal-ending-two-year-auction-saga.htm – In 2023, RedBird partnered with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan—vice president of the United Arab Emirates—under the banner of RedBird IMI to finance the acquisition. However, the deal collapsed after the British government moved to block foreign state ownership of UK newspapers. As a result, RedBird Capital is proceeding as the sole controlling investor, while IMI will retain a minority stake under new legislation permitting up to 15% foreign state ownership of UK press assets. “We’re delighted with this announcement and know that the Telegraph has a bright future under the control of Gerry Cardinale and RedBird Capital,” an IMI spokesperson said. Anna Jones, CEO of Telegraph Media Group, welcomed the development. “RedBird Capital Partners have exciting growth plans that build on our success — and will unlock our full potential across the breadth of our business,” she said. The deal, while fully funded, will be reviewed by the Competition and Markets Authority and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport under public interest scrutiny. ([btimesonline.com](https://www.btimesonline.com/articles/174428/20250523/u-s-firm-redbird-to-acquire-telegraph-in-674-million-deal-ending-two-year-auction-saga.htm?utm_source=openai))
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative appears to be fresh, with no prior reports found in the past seven days. The earliest known publication date of similar content is October 15, 2025, in Puck News. ([puck.news](https://puck.news/inside-gerry-cardinales-telegraph-takeover-plan/?utm_source=openai)) The report is based on a press release from RedBird Capital Partners, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified. The narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
No direct quotes were identified in the provided narrative. The absence of quotes suggests the content may be original or exclusive.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative originates from a press release by RedBird Capital Partners, a reputable private investment firm. However, the report is republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks, which raises concerns about the reliability of the information. The lack of coverage by other reputable outlets further diminishes the source’s reliability.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative makes plausible claims regarding Matthew Garrahan’s departure from the Financial Times and his appointment at RedBird Capital Partners. The lack of supporting detail from other reputable outlets is a concern. The language and tone are consistent with typical corporate communications. No excessive or off-topic details unrelated to the claim were noted. The tone is formal and appropriate for the subject matter.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative presents plausible claims about Matthew Garrahan’s career move, with no direct quotes identified, suggesting potential originality. However, the reliance on a press release and the lack of coverage by other reputable outlets raise concerns about the reliability and freshness of the information. The absence of supporting details from other reputable sources further diminishes the overall credibility.
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