Archant Anglia boss Johnny Hustler is to retire at the end of 2013, the regional publishing group announced today.

Johnny, pictured, joined Archant in 1987 as national advertising manager in Suffolk and worked his way up to become managing director of its largest division.

He has been credited with fostering the development of its magazines business Archant Life in his previous role as head of the Archant Lifestyle division.

Johnny moved to the Archant Anglia role in April 2011 in a management shake-up which saw Archant Norfolk, Archant Suffolk and Archant Herts and Cambs combined to create the new division.

Announcing the move to staff, group chief executive Adrian Jeakings, said: “Johnny’s greatest success was the creation and visionary leadership of Archant’s magazines businesses from small beginnings in Norfolk and Suffolk, to the business we now own.

“These titles now represent a third of Archant’s total revenues and there can be no doubt that without his enthusiasm, determination and will to succeed, we would not be in the strong position we occupy in this sector.

“Personally, I will miss Johnny’s creativity, enthusiasm and doggedness. The word “passion” has become something of a cliché in some circles, but it is hard to find a better descriptor of his wish to produce better newspapers and magazines for our readers, better solutions for our clients and better opportunities for the many staff he has nurtured and developed throughout his career.”

Added Johnny: “I have had a marvellous career with Archant. I have always been given as much opportunity as I could take and I have had the good luck to work with superb people – especially on the editorial side.

“I will forever be proud of the small part I contributed into turning the county magazine genre from a disparate group of independent titles into a main stream media.”