Chief editor leaving the Herald

The editor-in-chief of the New Zealand Herald, Gavin Ellis, will leave the newspaper at the end of the year.

Mr Ellis announced his decision to Herald staff last night.

He began his career at the Auckland Star and, after a short period in public relations, joined Wilson & Horton in 1972 on the staff of the Sunday Herald.

In the course of his career with the company he has held editorial and management positions. He was appointed editor of the Herald in 1996 and became editor-in-chief at the end of 1999.

"I have been enormously privileged to work at the Herald and to lead a team of very talented people through a period of great change to the newspaper," he said.

"I will, at the end of 2004, reach a milestone 40 years in journalism and it is an appropriate time to consider some new directions," Mr Ellis said.

His plans include post-graduate university study, although he will also undertake a consultancy role with Herald publisher APN.