Newsquest chairman and chief executive Paul Davidson is to be the next president of the Newspaper Society.

He will succeed Sir Nicholas Hewitt, chairman and managing director of the Barnsley Chronicle, on July 1.

Russell Whitehair, chairman of North Wales Newspapers, has been put forward as the next vice-president.

Paul has been chairman of Newsquest Media Group since August 2003, and chief executive since August 2001.

He began his newspaper career with Thomson Regional Newspapers, and then formed his own sales training and management consultancy business before joining Newsquest – then Reed Regional Newspapers – at the South London Guardian in 1988.

Russell, who began his career as a solicitor for a Gray’s Inn firm of London solicitors, has been involved in the regional press industry for 25 years.

He is currently a member of the Newspaper Society Council and Independent Publishers Forum, as well as being on the PERA Committee and the Newspaper Qualifications Council.

He has been on the board of North Wales Newspapers for 12 years and chairman for the past ten.

A new vice-president is elected from the Newspaper Society membership every year and after a year’s service they become president.