INDEPENDENT UK media business Archant, owner of the Evening Star, has appointed John Fry as its new chief executive, taking over from Peter Strong in June this year.

INDEPENDENT UK media business Archant, owner of the Evening Star, has appointed John Fry as its new chief executive, taking over from Peter Strong in June this year.

Mr Fry is currently chief executive of Misys International Banking Systems, a leading international computer software provider to the banking industry. He was previously president of Dun and Bradstreet Europe, and has also served as a non-executive director of Portsmouth and Sunderland newspaper group.

"I am delighted to be joining a great business as it enters a new era under the Archant name," said Mr Fry.

"I look forward to being part of a highly talented team and further developing the business. We have been at the heart of local communities for over a hundred years and I am confident we will remain a trusted and respected part of daily life, within the communities we serve, for at least the next hundred."

Archant chairman Richard Jewson said Mr Fry was joining the business at a time of great opportunity, as the company plans to continue the growth of recent years.

Peter Strong, who joined the company from Emap in 1996, will leave the main board but remains as a non-executive chairman of Archant Lifestyle which oversees the group's magazine business.

Archant currently publishes four daily newspapers, 58 weekly papers, 45 monthly magazines and around 40 websites from office across the UK.