Independent News & Media has appointed Eoin Brannigan as editor-in-chief of the Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life.
Mr Brannigan has since 2017 been the editor of the Irish Daily Star, the newspaper that is 50 per cent owned by INM. He joined the Star 23 years ago as a member of the sports desk, later becoming sports editor and senior deputy editor.
The Dublin native will take charge at what INM called “a crucial time” for the 150-year-old Belfast Telegraph, which will launch an online paywall next month following a similar move at the Irish Independent and Sunday Independent.
“Being appointed editor-in-chief for Belfast is a huge honour for me,” Mr Brannigan said.
INM is a subsidiary of Belgian group Mediahuis, which otherwise operates in Belgium and the Netherlands, with its publications including De Telegraaf, NRC Handelsblad and De Standaard.
In January, the group appointed Alan English as the new editor of the Sunday Independent. Mr English was previously group editorial director of regional group Iconic Newspapers.