Guardian Media Group has appointed David Rowan as editor of the Guardian's network of websites, Guardian Unlimited.
Rowan currently edits the Editor, The Guardian's popular news digest magazine. He replaces Simon Waldman who has been promoted to overall head of Guardian Unlimited.
He will assume editorial responsibility for all nine sites currently operating under the Guardian Unlimited brand. He will also be examining ways of working ever more closely with the editorial teams of the Guardian and the Observer. His appointment takes effect from 13 December.
Rowan joined the Guardian in 1989 as arts diarist and has in his ten years with the paper edited Guardian Education, the Guardian's then Outlook section before becoming editor of the comment and letters pages. In 1998, he launched the Editor as the week's best content from new and old media.
Alan Rusbridger, editor of the Guardian, said: "David is one of the paper's most talented and experienced journalists. He possesses a unique mix of knowledge of the Guardian's culture with a deep understanding of the internet, and is perfectly positioned for this role."