Neil Benson, former editor of the Newcastle Evening Chronicle and Coventry Evening Telegraph, has been appointed editorial director of Trinity Mirror Regional Newspapers.

His work will involve adopting a ‘best practice’ culture across the company’s regional titles and organising newsrooms to meet the needs of multimedia publishing.

He will also be involved in identifying and developing editorial talent, as well as being responsible for the group’s editorial training centre in Newcastle.

His current post, managing director of Gazette Media Company, involves heading up new media development at Newcastle, which he has done for the past two years.

Neil (46) has previously held a series of senior editorial appointments, including the editorships at Coventry and Newcastle, and has also spent 18 months as executive editor in Newcastle. He was responsible for the repositioning of the two daily titles and led the Evening Chronicle’s tabloid project team.

Stephen Parker, managing director of Trinity Mirror Regional Newspapers, said: “This new appointment highlights the importance the group attaches to the continuous development of editorial quality at our growing portfolio of regional newspapers.”

Neil will be based in Chester but will spend time at Trinity Mirror’s regional businesses. He will take up his new role when a new managing director for Teesside has been appointed.

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