Stephen Rae (46) has been appointed editor-in-chief of The Herald, The Irish Independent and The Sunday Independent. The role has been created by Independent News & Media (INM) to ensure that the titles are "structured, resourced and aligned for an increasingly digital future".

A former editor of the Evening Herald, as well as deputy editor and security correspondent at that title, Mr Rae was appointed editor of the Irish Independent in September 2012. A native of Co Kerry, he is a graduate of the DIT School of Journalism as well as a qualified barrister.

According to INM, the new role is designed to ensure that the titles in print, online and mobile are “platform agnostic” and collaborative while preserving their “unique ethos and tone of voice”.

Commenting on the appointment of Mr Rae, Vincent Crowley, chief executive of INM, said: “A key challenge for Stephen and our exceptional team of editors and journalists is to make our market leading content and great writers more accessible to consumers in a manner and at a price that sustains consumer engagement and the integrity and quality of our reportage.”

Mr Rae said that his role will involve “driving a collaborative change process impacting how we source, package and present content for the benefit of our consumers and advertisers”.

INM has yet to appoint a successor to Mr Rae as editor of The Irish Independent.