New editor for Place North West
Sarah Townsend has joined Place North West as editor, taking over from Jessica Middleton-Pugh, who takes on a newly-created role at the region’s leading property publication.
Townsend is an award-winning business journalist, with 10 years of experience and a background in property and regeneration. She previously worked at Property Week, Architects’ Journal and Planning magazine among other titles. Townsend recently relocated back to the UK after five years in Dubai where she was senior business correspondent, covering real estate and finance, on The National, the UAE’s biggest English language daily newspaper.
Townsend said: “It is an honour to be joining Place North West at such an exciting time in its evolution, and I look forward to bringing my experience in business news journalism to the role, and really getting to know the property industry here in the region.”
After six years at Place North West, latterly as editor, Jessica Middleton-Pugh, will step into a new role as contributing editor. She will continue to chair Place North West conferences and write for the publication, as well as representing the business at industry events.
Paul Unger, founder and publisher, added: “I am very excited to welcome Sarah to the business and look forward to seeing her take Place North West to even greater heights. Sarah is vastly experienced and has excellent ideas for developing Place North West further as we plan for 2020 and beyond.
“During Jessica’s tenure as editor we have grown in editorial scope, readership numbers and reach into the market, driven largely by the energy and verve she gave the role daily.”
Place North West is read by nearly 250,000 people a month and attracts more than 6,000 guests to its conferences and networking events each year.
The business was founded in Liverpool in 2007 and is now based in Manchester with a team of 10 working across events, commercial, editorial and management. Last year, a second title, PlaceTech, was launched to help property professionals decipher the trends that are defining the future of the industry.
Meanwhile, Charlie Schouten, deputy editor, has left Place North West after two years on the newsdesk to join London-based React News, where he will cover the North of England.
Unger added: “We wish Charlie every success in his new role and look forward to meeting up again soon.”
Place North West’s editorial team also includes reporter Chloé Vaughan who joined earlier this year. Other hires in 2019 include Sabrina Bhaloda, commercial manager across both titles.
