Gavin Steacy has been appointed Newsquest’s regional managing director for Wales and Gloucestershire.

He succeeds Eileen Opie at the division which publishes the South Wales Argus, Barry & District News, Free Press Series, Milford Mercury, Stroud News & Journal, Western Telegraph and Wilts & Gloucestershire Standard as well as several other weekly papers.

Gavin (pictured) was previously regional managing director for Trinity Mirror South, running business units stretching from Dorset through London to Kent.

He began his newspaper career in 1982 with Belfast Telegraph Newspapers Ltd, part of the old Thomson group, and subsequently held a number of senior positions within Trinity Mirror Group.

These included regional managing director Western Mail & Echo in Wales, business development director Trinity Mirror Regionals Division, and change development director Trinity Mirror Regionals Division, both working out of Canary Wharf, London.