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Burden has been a successful writer and entrepreneur for 20 years. His most recent book “News of the world? Fake Sheikhs & Royal Trappings” stirred up controversy by exposing the methods of those who make a living exposing others. He is a frequent commentator on matters concerning the right to privacy and blogs regularly on the subject.

At the time of giving evidence, Desmond was the owner of Express Newspapers and founder of Northern & Shell, which also published celebrity magazines such as OK! and New!. Desmond gave examples of how the group dealt with moral and ethical questions. He cited his decision not to run a false story about the parentage of a member of the Royal family. Desmond told the Inquiry he was not familiar with the Editors' Code of Practice and considered it something as a proprietor he did not need to know about. All editorial decisions were left to the Express's editors, he said, including the paper's decision to stop backing Tony Blair and return to backing the Conservative Party.

Michael Grade was chairman of the BBC from 2004 to 2006, and executive chairman of ITV plc from 2007 to 2009. In 2011, he was made a Conservative Party life peer in the House of Lords and in same year was appointed to the PCC. Gave evidence expressing opposition to statutory regulation, believing that the PCC worked well in some respects.

Gave evidence to the Inquiry as statutory Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC). From January 2010 to January 2012, he was Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority (the "MPA"). His public statement that too many police resources were being allocated to the phone-hacking inquiry led some politicians to calls for his resignation.

British-American businessman, younger son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and at the time of the Inquiry Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, International of News Corporation. He was asked to detail his role in the process by which News Corp sought to expand its holding in BSkyB in 2010 and the part played in that process by government decision-making.

Australian-born American Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of News Corporation with an estimated net worth of $15.2 billion at the time of giving evidence. Gave a brief history of his organisation from the founding of the Adelaide News to date. Among other matters, was asked about the admission in the diaries of Woodrow Wyatt, a confidant of both Murdoch and Margaret Thatcher, that he "bent... all the rules" to enable acquisition of The Times and Sunday Times without the bid being referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. Murdoch outlined his different understanding of the process. In lengthy evidence over several days, Murdoch admitted that the phone-hacking affair had left a serious blot on his reputation.

Chief Operating Officer in Europe of Microsoft search engine Bing at the time of the Inquiry. Gave evidence on the feasibility of pulling down links in cases of invasion of privacy and on protection, licensing and litigation of intellectual property rights. Also answered questions from Lord Leveson on whether systems were able to filter defamatory material.

Global risk and control management expert and Group Head of Information Risk Management at Barclays Bank at the time of the Inquiry.

Professor of Political Communication at Goldsmiths, University of London. In looking at the practices of journalism in relation to political issues and democratic practices, Davis told the Inquiry that he had conducted research at Westminster, Whitehall, the London Stock Exchange, across business and financial networks, among major political parties and across the trade union movement as part of his research for the Coordinating Committee for Media Reform.

Chief Executive Officer of ITN at time of Inquiry. Asked to provide comprehensive details of corporate governance and editorial practice at ITN.

Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Financial Times Group Ltd at the time of giving evidence. Explained the FT's expenses procedures and the Anti-Bribery and Corruption policies in place at the Group. Said that, to the best of his knowledge, measures for preventing illegal information-gathering were strictly adhered to and that the FT did not make payments for stories to any sources, including private investigators, the police or public officials.

Joined ITV News in September 2011 and at time of giving evidence was ITN Business Editor. Prior to joining ITV, Kuenssberg was Chief Political Correspondent for BBC News. She returned to the BBC in 2015 as Political Editor. She told the Inquiry that broadcasting regulation meant that there was generally a greater distance between politicians and broadcast journalists than was the case with print media.

Owner of the luxury residential spa chain Champneys, which became controversial after it was revealed that the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson had enjoyed a 20-night stay while recovering from an operation and that Neil Wallis, the former Executive Editor of the News of the World arrested (and later cleared) as part of the phone-hacking scandal, had worked as a PR for both Champneys and the Met. Purdew told the Inquiry that he was unaware of any relationship between the two men.

Part of the Northcliffe Newspaper Group, the third largest newspaper group in the UK and based in Swansea. As well as its role of bringing news to local communities, SWWM was regarded as a key marketing and advertising tool for businesses in the area. Spencer Feeney, editor at South West Wales Media at the time, gave evidence, making clear that he had not been authorised to give evidence on Lord Black's proposals.

Former journalist and editor of The Sun from 1998 to 2002. Yelland left the industry in 2003 to attend Harvard Business School and take up a career in business consultancy and as a writer of children's fiction. Gave evidence to the Inquiry of the principles in operation at the time of his editorship. Told the Inquiry that although it lost some PCC rulings in his time, the paper complied with requests from the PCC.

Founded 1888. English-language international daily newspaper with an emphasis on business and economic news. Editor Lionel Barber, contributing editor John Lloyd and FT solicitor Timothy Bratton all gave evidence to the Inquiry.