Iconic (formerly National World) has poached Newsquest digital transformation director Morgan Stevenson.
Stevenson will be chief growth officer for Iconic under its new owners Media Concierge, who bought the business from David Montgomery in May.
The company has 150 regional newsbrands in the UK and Ireland including The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post and Portsmouth News.
Stevenson will oversee “group-wide strategy, digital transformation and commercial performance initiatives”, Iconic said.
Iconic chief executive Malcolm Denmark said: “Morgan is one of the most experienced and forward-thinking digital leaders in UK regional media.
“His ability to drive commercial performance while leading large-scale transformation makes him the ideal person to help steer Iconic’s next phase of growth.
“His track record speaks for itself, and his experience will bring real momentum to our strategic ambition.”
Stevenson has been at Newsquest for almost six years leading its digital transformation and audience monetisation strategies.
A press release about his Iconic appointment said he has “delivered sustained year-on-year revenue growth and played a pivotal role in accelerating the shift to digital-first business models”.
Newsquest has built a base of more than 135,000 paid digital subscriptions and announced on Friday the Southern Daily Echo had crossed the 5,000 mark.
Iconic has digital subscriptions on some of its bigger titles, notably The Yorkshire Post and The Scotsman.
Stevenson said: “Iconic has an outstanding portfolio and an ambitious leadership team that understands the importance of innovation and sustainable growth.
“I’m thrilled to be joining at such an exciting time and look forward to working with colleagues across the business to accelerate our digital and commercial transformation.”
Stevenson’s previous roles include commercial development director at Local World and then commercial innovation director for Trinity Mirror Regionals after it was bought out.
He was also group head of display and ad operations at Iconic predecessor Johnston Press.
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