Stephen Godsell

Stephen Godsell is an accomplished Group General Counsel, Company Secretary, trustee, and board member with extensive global experience in the news, media, technology, and publishing sectors, specializing in intellectual property law.

Currently serving as General Counsel & Company Secretary for the Guardian Media Group plc, Stephen has also held key positions at reputable organizations like Clifford Chance, The Economist Group, and PA Group.

Recognized for his expertise, Stephen was listed in the Legal 500 GC Powerlist 2019 and his team was shortlisted for The Lawyer TMT In-house Team of the Year 2019.

In addition to his corporate roles, Stephen contributes to various boards and committees including The Economist Educational Foundation, The Ozone Project, the Joint Committee on Legal Deposit, and the GMG Ventures Advisory Committee.

Furthermore, he is a Freeman of the City of London and a proud member of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers.

His rich professional experience encompasses leading legal, risk, data assurance, and business operations teams globally, managing director and trustee roles, overseeing corporate governance practices, handling cross-border transactions, launching new business ventures, and navigating intellectual property and commercial litigation with expertise in privacy and data use.

Stephen's expertise also extends to digital content distribution deals, licensing agreements, global intellectual property strategy, pension schemes, and trustee board management.

Educationally, Stephen pursued a BA in Philosophy and Law at the University of Natal and furthered his studies at St Stithians College.