Johnston Press chief executive Tim Bowdler has been awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

The newspaper boss, who was appointed chief executive in 1997, received the honour for services to the newspaper industry.

He joined Johnston Press – which publishes around 300 titles including the Yorkshire Post, Blackpool Gazette, Sheffield Star and Portsmouth News – in 1994 as group managing director designate, and has recently overseen Johnston’s takeover of Score Press, Local Press Limited, The Leinster Leader Limited and Scotsman Publications.

He had spent the early part of his career in the manufacturing sector, graduating as an engineer from Birmingham University and picking up an MBA from London Business School.

He trained as a production engineer, progressing through a series of managerial appointments in commercial and marketing roles, and worked for Cape plc as divisional managing director of its building and architectural product companies.

Former Belfast Telegraph editor Ed Curran has also been honoured, with an OBE in the Birthday Honours list.

Now editor-in-chief of Independent News and Media’s Northern Ireland newspaper titles, he received the award for services to journalism.

He edited the Telegraph from 1993 to 2005, and had worked at the paper in different roles since 1966.

He was deputy editor of the paper from 1974 until 1988 when he was appointed launch editor of the Sunday Life, and was president of the Society of Editors in 2000-2001.

MBEs have also gone to former Newspaper Society president John Robertson and veteran Northern Echo journalist Mike Amos.

John, who retired from his role as deputy chairman of Newbury Weekly News (Printers) Ltd and its parent company Blacket Turner & Co Ltd last year, was honoured for services to the newspaper industry.

He served as president of the Newspaper Society in 2003-2004, and remains on the board of Newbury Weekly News (Printers) Ltd as a non-executive director.

He joined the group as managing director of the newspaper company in 1985, and became chairman of Newbury Weekly News (Printers) Ltd and group managing director of Blacket Turner in 1997, moving to a non-executive director role in July 2002.

A chartered secretary with a background in newspaper management, he had previously worked for the East Anglian Daily Times, EMAP and the Windsor & Slough Express.

Mike received his MBE for services to journalism in the North East.

He has worked for the Northern Echo for more than 40 years, and earlier this year was named North East Journalist of the Year for an unprecedented seventh time.

Last year he was presented with a lifetime achievement award at the North East press awards.