Murdoch MacLennan (born 10 April 1949) is a British senior media executive. He is chairman of the Press Association Group, Independent News & Media, and also of the Scottish Professional Football League. From 2004 until 2017 he was CEO of the Telegraph Media Group after which he served as Deputy Chairman until March 2018, and remains a Non-Executive Director. Previously he was the group managing director of Associated Newspapers from 1994 to 2004. He has held a number of roles for publishing groups within the British newspaper industry and in international bodies. Early life and career MacLennan was born on 10 April 1949 in Glasgow, Scotland, to Donald MacLennan (1919-1991) and Hazel MacLennan (née Hope, 1923). MacLennan began his career as a graduate trainee at The Scotsman in Edinburgh, then worked for titles in Newcastle and South Wales before moving to Reading as production manager for a regional evening paper. He joined the board of the Daily Record and Sunday Mail as production director in 1982. Both papers were part of Mirror Group Newspapers, and he then became the group's director of production in 1984. He moved to Express Newspapers a year later in 1985 to become production and technical director. In 1989, he joined Associated Newspapers as managing director of Harmsworth Quays. In 1992, he returned to Mirror Group as group operations director of Mirror Group Newspapers and managing director of the Daily Record and Sunday Mail remaining until 1994, when he returned to Associated Newspapers. While working at the Daily Mail MacLennan was given the nickname "MacGifty" on account of his giving of gifts to colleagues. This generosity seemed to be derived "from a desire to be liked, and an old-fashioned Fleet Street belief in munificence". MacLennan had a reputation for sacking employees. After one occasion the victim's mother asked the reasons behind his decision and MacLennan answered, "What should I do? Shall I resign? Would that make it better?". A former colleague is quoted as saying "He wants to be your best friend, then he sacks you". Telegraph group and industry roles In August 2004, he was appointed as the CEO of the Telegraph Media Group. He stepped down from the role in June 2017, becoming deputy chairman of the group. He stepped down from this role in March 2018, but remains a non-executive member of the board of directors. In 2010, he became Non-Executive Chairman of