Archant chief executive Adrian Jeakings will formally take over as the new president of the Newspaper Society next week.

He is currently vice-president of the Society and will take over the role from KM group chairman Geraldine Allinson on Sunday.

Adrian, left, joined the Archant board as finance director in October 2002 and became the company’s chief executive on the departure of John Fry in November 2008.

He said: “I would like to thank Geraldine for all the excellent work she has done to promote the important work of local newspapers across the UK.

“The NS plays an invaluable role in promoting the unique strengths and qualities of our industry, through initiatives such as the immensely successful Local Business Accelerators campaign, and I look forward to continuing this good work over the coming year.”

Adrian is a graduate of Imperial College, London, and worked briefly as an engineer before training as an accountant at BICC plc.

After qualifying, he held roles as finance directors for Schlumberger in France, Dun & Bradstreet Inc and The Stationery Office, before he joined Archant.

He holds positions as a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, a director of the PA Group Limited, a governor of Norwich School and as a member of the audit committee of the University of East Anglia.

A new NS president is elected from the membership every year in July.