Boardroom shake-up at Trinity Mirror

Trinity Mirror, Britain's biggest newspaper publisher, yesterday initiated a management shake-up that will end the boardroom link with the Robert Maxwell era.

Trinity Mirror, Britain's biggest newspaper publisher, yesterday initiated a management shake-up that will end the boardroom link with the Robert Maxwell era.

Leaving is Roger Eastoe, 49, managing director of national newspapers, whose roots with Mirror Group extend back a quarter of a century. Mr Eastoe, whose resignation takes effect from 30 September, was first appointed to Mirror's board in 1984, rising to deputy managing director in 1990.

Trinity, which publishes regional newspapers including the Liverpool Echo, merged with Mirror Group in a deal worth £1.7bn in 1999. Prior to that, Mirror Group struggled under the groaning debt load it inherited when the Maxwell Group collapsed.

Also leaving is Michael Masters, a long time Trinity executive, who had no involvement with Mirror interests until the merger. He steps down at the end of the year from his job as group managing director of UK and Irish publishing at Trinity Mirror.

The company is creating a new post of chief executive of newspapers. The chosen candidate, not yet named, is understood to be from the advertising industry.

Trinity Mirror yesterday reported a 15 per cent rise in pre-tax profit before exceptional items and development costs to £104.5m. Turnover grew 7.4 per cent to £560m. The dividend rose 10 per cent to 5.3p.