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Senior editor leaves publisher after 20 years as colleague wins promotion

rachael-sugdenA senior editor is leaving a newspaper publisher after 20 years while a neighbouring colleague has been promoted to a new regional role.

Reach plc has announced the departure of Rachael Sugden, its senior editor for Gloucestershire, while Emma Slee, the company’s senior editor for Somerset, has been appointed regional editor for Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Dorset.

Rachael, pictured, took on her current role in 2017 and has been responsible for titles including Gloucestershire Live, the Gloucester Citizen and the Gloucestershire Echo.

She becomes the sixth UK editor to leave the company since it revealed plans to cut more than 300 editorial and circulation roles as part of a nationwide shake-up of its operations.

Mike Norton, Bristol Post editor and regional editor-in-chief, is among the others whose departure has been announced.

Emma will join Edd Moore and Philippa Jenkins, who cover Devon and Cornwall, as regional editors across Reach’s new South West region.

HTFP has asked Reach for clarification on who will be responsible for editing the Post.

Emma said: “I’m thrilled to have been appointed to lead the team in Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset – the region where I’ve been based for the last 13 years.

“We have a vast number of hugely talented people who I shall enjoy getting to know better over the next few months.

“I’ve no doubt we’ve got challenges ahead but I feel confident we will meet them head on and continue to grow our audiences by creating compelling content.”

Rachael started as a trainee reporter in Gloucestershire in 2000 and has since worked at the Bath Chronicle, Western Daily Press and Bristol Post before taking on her most recent roles.

She said: “It has been an honour to work as a journalist for 20 years. I have loved every role I’ve been lucky enough to have, from crime reporter to newspaper editor.

“More importantly, I am blessed to have made many lifelong friends in the communities I have served and the reporters, sub-editors, editors and commercial teams I have worked alongside.

“Newsrooms are home to mildly dysfunctional families of creative geniuses – those people are the reason for every single moment of my success.”