THE editor of The Herald newspaper has been appointed president of the Society of Editors.
Donald Martin, who is editor-in-chief across The Herald and sister titles, the Evening Times and the Sunday Herald, was last night chosen at the Society’s annual conference, taking place at Stanstead, near London.
He had been nominated unanimously by the Society’s board and takes over from Nigel Pickover, editor of the Evening Star, Ipswich.
Martin is the 12th president of the Society, which was formed by a merger of the Guild of Editors and the Association of British Editors. He was appointed editor-in-chief at The Herald group last year, having previously been editor of the Evening Times, which he joined three years ago, following nine years editing the Evening Express in Aberdeen.
A former deputy editor of the Cambridge Evening News, Martin was also chief sub-editor and production editor of the Reading Evening Post, editor of Thames Valley Free Newspapers and launch editor of the Edinburgh and Lothian’s Post.
Before the Evening Express, he was editor of the North West Evening Mail, part of Cumbrian Newspapers.
Says Pickard: “Donald has experience across a variety of publications which he has edited with great success and style. As a valuable member of the Society’s board, he has been a fearless battler for media freedom and standards. The Society is ten years old and I am sure Donald will help take it forward to new heights.”
Said Martin: “The Society is a powerful voice on behalf of the media’s freedom to report and of the public’s right to know. I am conscious of the honour and responsibility this nomination brings and will work hard to support the industry in these challenging and fast changing times. We will continue the fight on many fronts to ensure proper recognition of the media’s role in a democratic society.”
Added Bob Satchwell, executive director of the Society of Editors: “I am pleased to say that spotting Donald’s talent and potential and hiring him as my deputy in his mid twenties was one of the best appointments I made in my editing career. It is always heartening to be proved right and it will be a thrill and challenge to work with him again as president of the SoE.”
