RamsayMedia has announced the appointment of five directors - three full and two alternate - as part of its long-range strategic planning.

Four of the new appointees are family members, formalising the active involvement of the fourth generation of Ramsay heirs in the business, and the fifth is Tim Holden, group financial manager of Caxton"s community newspapers. The Caxton and CTP Group bought a 30 percent shareholding in RamsayMedia two years ago.

The full directors are Scott Ramsay; James Eedes; and Simon Turck, the great-grandchildren of founder Samuel Ramsay. Holden and Peter Venn are the alternate directors.

Eedes, son of Anthea and the late Harold Eedes (who was managing director of RamsayMedia until June last year), has considerable financial and editorial experience. He worked for some years as a journalist and business manager with Avusa publishers and subsequently with The Banker magazine, a division of the London Financial Times. He is currently based in London, where he is a corporate finance adviser. He will shortly return to South Africa.

Turck is publisher of Compleat Golfer, a member of the company"s Exco and manager of RamsayMedia"s Sandton branch.

Scott Ramsay, son of the present chairman, Alan Ramsay, has held sales and editorial portfolios in the company. He is currently working in London for a digital media agency.

His alternate is Venn, who is regional director: Middle East and Africa for American analytical and software company SAS. Venn is Alan Ramsay"s son-in-law.

Commenting on the appointments, Alan Ramsay said: "As a family, we have been privileged to have a number of the fourth generation get involved in the business, not just because of the skills they have brought, but because of the very real benefits in a business such as ours of having the owners directly involved.

"We are very much a people business, sales and service orientated and with a strong focus on product quality and ingenuity. When the owners themselves have a thorough understanding of the special requirements, they are able to give the executive and staff full and enthusiastic support, an aspect that does not go unnoticed by loyal clients and suppliers."

The five join current board members Alan Ramsay; Stuart Lowe (managing director); Getaway publisher, Jacqueline Lahoud; Brian Burnett (non-executive); and Caxton"s Terry Moolman and Gordon Utian.