One of the leading regional journalists in the South East is to join the KM Group as editorial director in what has been described as a “huge vote of confidence” in the Kent business.

Award-winning Ian Carter is an editor-in-chief with Northcliffe Media, the regional division of the publishers of the Daily Mail. He is no stranger to Kent and has a home in Folkestone.

He is currently responsible for the Tunbridge Wells-based Courier Media Group and East Surrey and Sussex News and Media. Titles under his management include the Kent and Sussex Courier, Sevenoaks Chronicle, Croydon Advertiser, Surrey Mirror and their associated websites.

Mr Carter, who will join KMG in December, said: “This is such an exciting time to join the KM.

“The media business is in the thick of the fight of its life but I am a firm believer that newspaper groups like the KM, that are willing to embrace opportunities offered by new media, will continue to flourish.

“With its strong newspapers, attractive websites and lively radio stations the KM has consistently demonstrated a readiness to change and adapt for an exciting and successful future.

“It’s already one of Kent’s best-known independent family businesses and despite the challenges I am convinced it is going from strength to strength.”

Graham Mead, managing director of the KM Group, said: “We are absolutely delighted that we have been able to tempt someone with Ian’s knowledge and experience away from one of the UK’s biggest regional media groups.

“The whole industry has been going through a difficult time and Ian has shown a huge vote of confidence in the way that KM Group is developing and enhancing its business to ensure that we continue to be the county’s leading media group.”

Mr Carter began his journalistic career with the Colchester Evening Gazette. He then spent five years with the Brighton Argus, three of them as head of news, and in that time the paper twice won the title of UK daily newspaper of the year.

He joined Teletext for the launch of the TV information service’s website and then worked as a senior broadcast journalist for the BBC before moving back into newspapers as group editor for the Croydon Advertiser series in 2002.

In the last two years he was responsible for the launch of five new websites, changed the size of the Surrey Mirror from broadsheet to compact, saw the title win the EDF Energy weekly newspaper of the year award, and was involved in the creation of multimedia newsrooms in Northcliffe’s south-eastern area.