A news editor at a weekly paper who has been a ‘leading light’ in developing social media networks has been recognised at an awards ceremony held by her company.

Katie Davies, of the Hampstead and Highgate Express, was chosen as Archant London’s Editorial Person of the Year at its annual awards ceremony and she and the other winners will go forward to a company-wide ceremony in January.

Judges said she was well-respected, very audience-focused and had organised many events at which the title was present, including a Meet the Ham&High Forum.

Katie played a key role in developing social media networks and in the changeover to a new content management system, while she previously won the Weekly Print Journalist of the Year title at the EDF Energy Awards for London and the South of England in 2009.

London MD Enzo Testa said he was delighted to present the winning trophies at Archant London’s Christmas party.

He said: “We had a very difficult time selecting overall winners from the high calibre of entries received and this reflects the magnificent work of our teams and individuals across London throughout the year.”

Other editorial winners were:

Employee of the year
Chris Carter, Editor, Ilford Recorder Series

Chris was said to be very active in the community, regularly attending a wide range of events. He was described as a hands-on editor who has a reputation for doing things right. Judges said he quickly realised the power of the web and the Ilford Recorder became Archant London’s most visited site.

Unsung Hero of the Year
Nicholas Hitchens, Reporter, Gravesend Reporter

Nicholas was described as the mainstay of a tiny district office and a devoted and loyal reporter. Judges said he goes the extra mile, staying late to ensure stories stand out from the opposition, and performs acts of kindness and dedication within the community.

Newcomer of the Year
Gurpartap Basra, Digital Development Manager, London

Known as Baz, he joined Archant London in March this year and identified the divisional sales teams and other departments had a sketchy and inconsistent view, so has co-ordinated and championed new electronic initiatives.

Innovation or New Launch of the Year
i-drive24

Launched in March this year, judges said it was a totally new concept in digital advertising which has offered an interactive product to customers. It has been developed into a quarterly publication, with revenue growth of 60pc over two editions.