Carolyn McCall leaves Guardian Media Group for EasyJet

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Carolyn McCall is to step down as CEO of Guardian Media Group (GMG) after four years in the role. McCall, who was with the group for 24 years in total, has been appointed CEO of EasyJet.

Having joined the Guardian as marketing planner in 1986, she went to become advertising director, commercial director, managing director and chief executive; before becoming chief executive of the newspaper's parent organisation GMG in 2006.

"The Guardian has been my second family for a quarter of a century, and I feel incredibly privileged to be part of such a wonderful and unique organisation," said McCall.

"However, the chance to lead a FTSE company of easyJet's calibre is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The business has a superb brand and a great future ahead of it, and I'm looking forward to driving its continued success. I will leave GMG knowing that our journalism has never been more influential or widely read, and with complete confidence that its financial position is secure," she added.

"Carolyn has been an inspired and visionary leader of the Guardian, the Observer and GMG," said Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of Guardian News and Media. "She has unwaveringly supported our journalists and, with GMG, worked tirelessly to develop a highly successful media company to protect and nourish our editorial output and aims. She is a digital pioneer, a lovely colleague and a good friend."

McCall oversaw the Guardian's transition to Berliner format, the part sale of Trader Media Group for £700 million, and investment in Emap.

She was at the centre of GMG economic rows last year. A company-wide pay freeze was condemned by the Guardian and Observer NUJ chapels in March 2009. They proposed a motion of no confidence in the GMG board: "for announcing a pay freeze - which amounts to a pay cut of probably 3 per cent - while at the same time rewarding themselves with personal bonuses of up to 30 per cent of salary and greatly enhanced pension contributions."

In April 2009 it was made public that McCall would not take a bonus for the previous financial year.

Earlier this year GMG's regional arm was sold to Trinity Mirror for £7.4 million; negotiations for the future of GMG owned Channel M, with its drastically reduced staff, continue.

McCall was also placed under pressure over the future of the Observer newspaper: before the Sunday newspaper's relaunch was confirmed in September 2009 she did not rule out its closure as the group attempted to reduce losses of £90 million in the 2008-9 financial year .

McCall was ranked 35th in the Guardian MediaGuardian 100 list 2009 , with a reported salary of  £498,000 (inc benefits) for 2008/9. In 2007-8 she earned a total salary package of £827,000.