Henry Faure Walker, the chief executive of UK regional publishing giant Newsquest, is to take on a new interim leadership role at Gannett, Newsquest’s parent company, in the United States.

The company, which owns hundreds of news brands across America, announced on Wednesday that Maribel Perez Wadsworth will be stepping down from her role as president of Gannett Media and publisher of USA Today.

Faure Walker will succeed Perez Wadsworth on an interim basis while retaining his Newsquest job and remaining in the UK.