Regional business news website TheBusinessDesk.com has appointed a new editor to oversee its North West edition.

Joanne Birtwistle, left, took on the role this month, replacing Chris Barry, who has left journalism to take up a senior role with PR and communications agency Influential.

Joanne joined TheBusinessDesk.com at launch in 2007, joining as assistant editor, having previously worked for Crain’s Manchester Business and North West Business Insider.

She said she was “delighted” to have secured the role and promised that the site’s “high quality, comprehensive news coverage” would continue.

TheBusinessDesk North West currently averages 70,000 monthly users and around 320,000 page views a month.  Its parent company recently launched an East Midlands edition in addition to its West Midlands and Yorkshire portals.

Other recent journalism job moves include the following:

• Portsmouth daily The News has appointed Kimberley Barber as business editor.
• The Evening Express, Aberdeen, has appointed Rachel Loxton as a features writer/reporter. She joins the paper from the Herald and Times.
• Pat Leahy has been appointed deputy political editor at the Irish Times. Pat moves from the role of deputy editor and political editor at the Sunday Business Post
• Inverness Courier reporter Helen Aird has left the paper to take up a new role as editor of Highland Life magazine, succeeding Pauline Burnett.
• The Southern Daily Echo has appointed James Johnson as social media editor to oversee its social media content. James was previously a senior reporter on the paper.
• Ravender Sembhy has been appointed City Editor at the Press Association.  He rejoins PA from City AM, having previously worked for the agency as a financial reporter between 2007 and 2010.
• Stoke daily The Sentinel has appointed Mary-Ann Astle as digital editor, overseeing all aspects of the newspaper’s digital output. Mary-Ann was previously head of events and special publications at the paper.
• Gloucestershire Echo features writer Jonathan Whiley has left the paper to become editor of Publishing Business titles Victoria, The Northbank and Paddington Now.
• Amber Hicks has left the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald to join sister title the Swindon Advertiser as a reporter.
• Glasgow daily The Herald has appointed David McCann as news editor. He was previously assistant news editor role at the Daily Record.

On the move yourself?  Email [email protected] with the details.