A new editor-in-chief is set to step up at three sister dailies following an industry veteran’s departure.

Callum Baird has been appointed to the role at Newsquest Scotland, where he will have overall responsibility for titles including Glasgow-based dailies The Herald, The National and the Glasgow Times.

The planned appointment comes after Donald Martin stepped down from the editor-in-chief job after more than 30 years editing various titles across the UK.

Donald had overseen the day-to-day running of The Herald, while Callum looks after both the Glasgow Times and Newsquest’s pro-Scottish independence daily The National in a managing editor capacity.

Newsquest will now seek a new editor for The Herald, traditionally a pro-Union newspaper, following Donald’s departure.

Callum said: “I’m delighted to take on this opportunity and I’m really looking forward to working with our editorial teams to keep producing quality journalism that is worth paying for.

“Our newspapers are led by the best team of editors in the UK, and our titles punch above their weight both in terms of strong performing print sales and high volumes of digital subscriptions.

“We’ll continue to innovate and launch new platforms, brands and projects at Newsquest Scotland as we have always done.

“I’d also like to thank Donald Martin for his work in recent years as editor-in-chief and for the support and advice he’s given me in that period.”

The changes come weeks after the publisher’s appointment of a new managing director for Scotland, David Ward, following the retirement of long-serving predecessor Graeme Morrison.

Announcing Callum’s appointment, David told staff: “I am pleased to announce that Callum Baird will be appointed editor-in-chief of Newsquest Scotland & Northern Ireland, and that we will now begin the recruitment process for a new Editor of The Herald.

“Since joining the business in 2013, Callum has had a hugely positive impact.

“He is an outstanding editorial leader and has been extremely effective in delivering audience, digital subscriptions, and shaping innovative projects that deliver for our readers.

“I look forward to working closer with him and his team.”

Other titles run by Newsquest in Scotland include daily paper the Greenock Telegraph, as well as The Herald on Sunday, Sunday National and a number of local weeklies.

Callum, pictured, has edited The National since 2015, having served as its founding deputy editor the year before that.

He added the Times to his portfolio in 2019, taking over from Donald following a restructure.

Newsquest has declined to comment on the changes at this stage.