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Editor moves to new role in ‘transformation team’

The editor of a daily-turned-weekly paper has been appointed to a role on the transformation team of the newly-formed regional publisher Local World.

Andy Phelan will be seconded from his role at the helm of the Exeter Express and Echo from Monday 4 February.

He will be replaced in the interim by Paul Burton, head of content at the Western Daily Press, who has now been appointed as acting editor of the title in Andy’s absence and the editorial team will report to him.

Andy will return to the editorship once his work on the transformation team, looking at content ideas across Local World titles, is complete.

Paul has been with the WDP since 2007, after arriving from the Weston and Somerset Mercury.

During his six years at the daily title, Paul has been involved in introducing new ways of generating editorial content, redesigning the key weekend supplement West Country Life, and editing a monthly business magazine called Agenda.

Andy became the editor of the Express and Echo in January last year after previously being at the helm of the Torquay Herald Express where he oversaw its transition to weekly publication.

He replaced Marc Astley who left his role leading the Express and Echo after six years and has now launched a series of news websites.

Local World was formed earlier this month when DMGT completed the sale of Northcliffe Media in return for £52.5m and a 38.7pc stake in the new company, headed by David Montgomery.  The Yattendon Group sold its regional publishing arm Iliffe News and Media in return for a 21.3pc stake.