A NEW senior management team has been appointed to steer the future success of the Manchester Evening News.

David Benjamin, 30, currently the newspaper's financial director, will become managing director on April 1.

The newspaper's new deputy managing director will be Mark Rix, who will retain his role as the MEN's advertisement director.

Current managing director Ian Ashcroft will concentrate on his duties as chief executive of the Guardian Media Group's Regional Newspapers division, which publishes the MEN.

MEN editor Paul Horrocks is unaffected by the changes.

Mr Ashcroft said: ''The Manchester Evening News has been the dominant media in Manchester now for as long as any of us can remember. But it doesn't achieve that by standing still.

''What is particularly good about this is that we have been able to bring through two relatively young people who have the ability to bring this change of pace.''

Mr Benjamin joined the MEN as a financial analyst in 1993 and became FD in 1995.

Mr Rix replaces Mark Dodson, who will concentrate on GMG Regional Newspapers' expanding Cheshire and Lancashire businesses, his role in GMG Radio and leading Channel M, the terrestrial TV station in which GMG, is a major shareholder.

General manager Alistair Sheret will become finance and strategy director of GMG Regional Newspapers.

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