Laura Marks joins Jewish News board

One of the most influential women in the Jewish community has joined her former Board of Deputies colleague at the top table of the Jewish News.

Laura Marks, a community and interfaith activist who founded Mitzvah Day, was the Board’s senior vice-president until May this year, and will join the Board’s former vice-president Alex Brummer on this newspaper’s board of directors.

Marks, who co-chairs the ‘Women in Jewish Leadership’ commission, said: “I have worked with the Jewish News for many years now on a huge range of issues, and the team have always been ready to step up and engage.”

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She added: “We are lucky to have two mainstream London based newspapers in our community and I see the opportunity for the Jewish News to be clearly its own brand, unique, forward-thinking and occupying its own space.”

Mother-of-three Marks was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours Lits, and said her background in marketing and communications, as well as in Jewish community issues and politics, would add value to the group.

She also relished the opportunity of working with a former colleague, saying “Alex and I worked as a solid team for three years at the Board of Deputies. We met together every week and enjoyed challenging each other’s thinking.”

Her arrival comes as the newspaper continues its rapid growth, the publication having become the community’s biggest-distribution newspaper more than two years ago after it was bought by philanthropist Leo Noé. 

Marks and Brummer are joined on the board by businessman Sir Mick Davis, who chairs the Jewish Leadership Council, and Shimon Cohen, chairman of The PR Office.

Noé said: “We are very excited that Laura has agreed to join our board. We are proud to have secured the services of someone who will add real experience.” 

Jewish News Editor Richard Ferrer, who also sits on the board, said: “Our audience continues to grow, and Laura will help us keep up that momentum, building the brand’s reputation as the UK’s most ambitious and successful Jewish media organisation.”