The Sunday Telegraph has plumped for Fleet Street experience in its choice of newsdesk supremo to succeed Chris Boffey.
Richard Ellis, who has been a senior executive on The Sunday Times, the Sunday and Daily Express and The Observer, and was deputy editor on the aborted revival of The Sporting Life, takes up the job of assistant editor (No.4 on the paper) in charge of the newsdesk on 11 September.
Con Coughlin, Sunday Telegraph executive editor, said of Ellis, recently chief executive of Digitalsport: "He is a top-drawer professional. We couldn’t hope to get a better candidate. He is a great all-rounder."
Coughlin, a former chief foreign correspondent for the Sunday, said he had worked with Ellis when he was in Africa for The Sunday Times. "I saw his professionalism first-hand. He is a very tough competitor and I am delighted to be working with him," he said.
There will be a six-week handover period with deputy news editor Shan Lancaster, who is also leaving to freelance but will be writing for the newspaper a couple of days a week.
Ellis will choose his own deputy.
By Jean Morgan
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog