He will take up his position at Press Association (PA) on 1 December with a brief to put social media at the heart of the newsroom, as part of the wider transformation of the agency into a digital-focused multi-platform news and information business.
Darren joins the organisation with 17 years’ experience in the media industry predominantly gained from roles at BBC News Online, where he was part of the senior editorial team, helping to develop the site into one of the world’s leading news destinations and pioneering many of the multimedia story-telling formats used today.
Most recently Darren held the editor-in-chief position at Microsoft UK, where he was responsible for all editorial content on MSN UK and the Bing Apps across the Windows’ platforms including news, sport, travel, finance, health and fitness, and food and drink.
Previous to this, Darren was MSN UK’s Head of Devices and Social Media, with overall responsibility for its social media strategy. Under his guidance the MSN Social Voices series won the AOP Use of Social Media award in 2013.
In his new role, Darren will have editorial ownership of PA’s presence on all business relevant social media platforms, with a focus on enhancing content gathering and the agency’s social profile. He will also support social media training of PA’s journalists and establish policy and best practice.
Tony Watson, Managing Director of PA, said: “We are delighted to have appointed someone of Darren’s calibre and experience to what will be a vital role in PA’s strategy of becoming a digital-focused media agency.”
Darren said: “I’m delighted to be joining a vibrant newsroom that provides world-class multi-platform journalism to publishers and media organisations around the UK. PA has a clear vision of the development of the business, with social media at the heart of editorial operations, and I can’t wait to get started.”
