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Archie Bland becomes Indy’s youngest deputy editor

By Andrew Pugh

The Independent’s Saturday editor Archie Bland has been promoted to joint deputy editor – the youngest in the newspaper’s history.

The paper said that at 28 years of age the former foreign editor was ‘easily the youngest deputy editor in the paper’s history, the youngest in national newspapers today and perhaps ever on Fleet Street”.

The news comes after Independent editor Chris Blackhurst was yesterday promoted to group editorial director for the Evening Standard and Independent newspapers. Bland will report to Blackhurst, who continues in his role as Independent editor

He will work alongside acting deputy editor Richard Askwith after the company announced last week that deputy editor Dan Gledhill will be away from the office until further notice.

Jamie Merrill has also been appointed as assistant features editor and Will Dean being promoted to deputy features editor.

Independent Print Ltd chairman Evgeny Lebedev said: ‘These new appointments combine to leverage considerable journalistic talent and experience, with youth, flair and vitality. I expect this to significantly strengthen our journalistic output across both print and digital.”

Bland commented: ‘I’m thrilled and humbled by this appointment. I know that I still have much to learn from the superb team of experienced and talented journalists at the Independent and I’m looking forward to building on the paper’s successes together.”

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