British Sri Lankan to steer Associated Press

British national of Sri Lankan descent, Daisy Veerasingham has been named by The Associated Press (AP) as its new President and CEO, who will take on the role from January 1, 2022.

Veerasingham, currently the AP’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), will be the 14th leader of the American non-profit news agency in its 175-year history. 

She succeeds retiring AP President and CEO Gary Pruitt, who will remain in the role through the end of the year.
Veerasingham, 51, a first-generation British national of Sri Lankan origin, will also become the first woman, first person of colour and the first international citizen to lead the AP.

“In Daisy Veerasingham we have chosen a proven leader with a deep understanding of how the AP operates and a clear vision for the future. She appreciates the crucial role the AP plays in providing journalism and services that are indispensable to the news industry,” said AP Board of Directors Chairman and Hearst President and CEO Steven R. Swartz. 

In a statement announcing the appointment, while commending Pruitt for a decade of exceptional leadership, Swartz said Veerasingham is the “right person” to continue this important work.

Pruitt, reflecting similar sentiments said, “There is no better person to lead the AP into its next chapter than Daisy, with whom I’ve worked closely over the past decade. With her experience, judgment and values, Daisy will be a terrific leader of the AP.” 

Commenting on the appointment, Veerasingham expressed she is thrilled to take on the new role.

“I am thrilled to take the helm of this deeply respected news organisation and work with colleagues who do extraordinary work every day in support of our mission. Gary has been a true champion of mine along the way and I sincerely appreciate his support,” she said.

In the 17 years in AP, Veerasingham has grown revenue, diversified the news agency’s customer base – especially internationally – and introduced new business models. She also led the transformation of AP’s video business, making it fully digital-capable and market competitive, with a focus on multichannel live video delivery.
Veerasingham was appointed as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in February 2021, taking on responsibility for all the AP departments, including the company’s news, business and technology operations.

Since 2019, Veerasingham served as Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, where she directed the division comprising the AP’s sales, product, marketing and customer operations worldwide. She guided the AP’s global revenue operations through the pandemic and amid upheaval in the news industry.

Veerasingham joined the AP in 2004 as Sales Director for AP Television News in London. She later became Vice President of Sales for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia, overseeing revenue from clients across all formats and business units.

Prior to the AP, Veerasingham was group Sales and Marketing Director at LexisNexis and held sales and marketing roles at the Financial Times. She holds a degree in law.