Heather Robertson has resigned from her position as editor of two Times Media Group Eastern Cape newspapers, The Herald and Weekend Post in Port Elizabeth. She held the positions for five years.
Robertson will continue her relationship with Times Media as an independent consultant focusing on digital and editorial training for the Eastern Cape divisions, supporting the implementation of various editorial projects and support editorially where required. She will also focus on completing a Digital Journalism Masters over the next 12 months.
“It’s been a humbling, fascinating and challenging five years as the editor of The Herald and Weekend Post. It has also been fun working with a team of hard working, vibrant and talented journalists who are at the cutting edge of their profession both in terms of print and digital media,” Robertson said.
“I will miss the camaraderie of The Herald and Weekend Post family, but I am also excited to embark on a new adventure which includes playing a role in implementing the digital first and print premium innovations underway in Times Media’s Eastern Cape titles,” she said.
Robertson has been with the company for 16 years and has worked across the company in various roles, most recently guiding The Herald and Weekend Post.
“Heather has been an excellent member of the senior editorial team at TMG for some time. We are delighted that she has agreed to work with TMG as we embark on a year of significant change and innovation,” said Andy Gill, managing director of Times Media.
Robertson will work closely with the innovation project team currently redesigning the look and feel, content treatment and newsroom workflows of TMG newspapers to sustainably position them for an increasingly digital future. She will also help support the new editors to be appointed to The Herald and Weekend Post and the Daily Dispatch.
Robertson’s resignation follows that of Sunday Times editor, Phylicia Oppelt, who has taken on the role of general manager of editorial projects and will be working on TMG’s ‘Innovation Project’. Daily Dispatch editor Bongani Siqoko is taking over the editorship of the Sunday Times in January.
Brett Adkins will be acting editor at The Herald until a new editor is announced.
