News International has appointed former Telegraph Group editor-in-chief Will Lewis group as general manager working across all four of its national newspaper titles.
The current British Press Awards journalist of the year abruptly left Telegraph Group after five years in May. His exit came after a divergence of views with management over the nature of the Euston Partners digital development wing he had headed up for six months as managing director, digital.
In his new job Lewis will have ‘overall responsibility for coordinating editorial spending’across The Sun, The Times, News of the World and The Sunday Times.
In a statement released this afternoon, News International said: ‘He will also play a leading role in News International’s continuing drive to be at the forefront of developments in digital technology, working with the chief technology officer to implement a next generation of editorial technology that will support the production of content across a range of digital distribution platforms.”
Former Telegraph Media Group chief information officer Paul Cheesbrough is joining News International in the same role in the autumn.
Lewis will report in to News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks.
She said: ‘Will brings an enormous range of experience within the newspaper industry, including three years on The Sunday Times.
‘This will enable him to implement best practice across the four titles, helping us to maximise our investment in editorial and ensuring that we are best placed to deliver on our commitment to invest and innovate for customers in the future. I am thrilled that he has decided to rejoin us at News International and I look forward to working with him.”
Lewis, 41, said: ‘I’m delighted to be returning to News International at such an exciting time. A commitment to invest in editorial sits at the heart of everything that News International does and they are leading the industry in developing new ways to deliver returns on thatcommitment. I am looking forward to joining Rebekah and her team and helping them to take the business forward.”
Lewis led the integration of the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph and web editorial teams into one operation with a massively increased emphasis on online coverage. This was accompanied by more than 150 editorial redundancies.
He joined the Telegraph in August 2005 as City editor, after three and a half years at The Sunday Times, where he was business editor. He was quickly promoted to deputy editor of the Telegraph. He was made Daily Telegraph editor in October 2006.
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog