An award-winning editor has returned to journalism after five months working in public relations to take up a new post with a regional publisher.

Archant has announced the appointment of Ken Symon to the newly-created role of business and energy editor.

Ken ran Reach plc-owned title Scottish Business Insider between 2016 and July this year, when he left to become associate director at Glasgow-based PR consultancy Hollicom.

His appointment comes after Archant announced in October it was building a new team of business journalists who will have a “heavy focus” on the energy sector.

Ken, pictured, said: “I am hugely excited to be joining Archant to lead the coverage of the energy sector which is such a vital one for the future of the economy of the East of England and the UK as a whole.

“It is great to be joining a newspaper publisher that is investing for the future.”

Ken is a former business editor of both The Scotsman and the Sunday Herald, who also previously ran the Scottish news operation at The Sunday Times.

He won the UK Local Government Journalist of the Year Award while at the Glasgow Evening Times for an investigation into council tax.

Archant editor-in-chief Jeremy Clifford said: “We are delighted to have appointed Ken who comes with a wealth of experience to this new role at Archant.

“We have made a commitment to establish our brands as the leading voice in the energy sector and wanted someone who had the background and understanding to help us to achieve this.”

Ken will begin his new role on 4 January.