Ellis Watson appointed chief of DC Thomson newspapers

Regional newspaper publisher DC Thomson has appointed former Mirror Group chief Ellis Watson as its new managing director for newspapers.

Watson will oversee the company's regional newspaper business, including the Press & Journal, the Evening Express, the Courier & Advertiser, the Evening Telegraph, and the Sunday Post.

He joins the company from Simon Cowell's Syco Entertainment, where he has been chief executive officer since March 2010, replacing former joint managing directors Alan Scott and David Thomson.

Scott is due to leave DC Thomson on 9 December after 27 years with the company, most recently as managing director of its Aberdeen Journals group. Thomson has been named as chief operating officer.

Watson began his newspaper career as the marketing director at News International. In 2000 he was appointed managing director of entertainment company Celador, and moved to Mirror Group Newspapers in 2004. Later he joined the boards of John Menzies, First Group and then Syco Entertainment.
 
Andrew F Thomson, chairman of DC Thomson, said: "Ellis brings with him a wealth of industry experience and local knowledge.  He lives with his wife and family in the area and will be based at both our Dundee and Aberdeen offices. 

"I welcome Ellis to the Newspaper Senior Management Team as he gets to know our people and our business and look forward to working with him."
 
Ellis said he was "delighted to be back home, running these fantastic titles and working with such talented people".

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