Alan Rusbridger to leave the Guardian

Alan Rusbridger is to stand down as the Guardian editor-in-chief, his newspaper reports.

He will leave next summer after 20 years at the paper to become chair of the Scott Trust – the company that owns Guardian Media Group.

The Guardian states that as chair of the Scott Trust Rusbridger will “continue to play a pivotal role in ensuring the perpetuity of Guardian journalism”.

In a note to staff, Rusbridger said: “It’s been quite an extraordinary period in the life of the Guardian. In February 1995 newspaper websites were, if they existed at all, exotic things: we were still four years off launching Guardian Unlimited. Since 1999 we’ve grown to overtake all others to become the most-read serious English language digital newspaper in the world.”

“Each editor is told – this is literally the only instruction – to carry the Guardian on ‘as heretofore’. That means understanding the spirit, culture and purpose of the paper and interpreting it for the present.

“All that is only possible because of the unique Scott Trust, set up in 1936 to ensure the Guardian survives in perpetuity.”

Rusbridger will replace Liz Forgan at the end of her term as chair of the Trust. A new editor-in-chief will be announced “in due course”, the paper said.