Deputy editor of the Powys County Times, Nic Outterside, has been named editor of sister paper the Denbighshire Free Press.
He succeeds Alistair Syme, who has edited the paper for five years and is embarking on a career in public relations.
Outterside began his career in the early 1980s on glossy magazines before moving to newspapers and working for the North Wales Weekly News.
He moved to Scotland to edit three weekly broadsheets before becoming chief investigative reporter on The Scotsman and later for the North of England tabloid The Sunday Sun.
Outterside has a clutch of awards, including Scottish daily journalist of the year, Scottish weekly journalist of the year and North of England daily journalist of the year.
He said: “My first passion has always been for strong and authoritative weekly newspapers, and it is a delight to lead the team at the Denbighshire Free Press, which in my opinion is one of the best weeklies in the UK.”
Paying tribute to Syme, North Wales Newspapers publishing director Graham Breeze said: “Alistair had been with the company for nearly 30 years, and since taking over at the Free Press, has increased sales every year — there can be no better testament to his ability.”
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