Former Fairfax Media metro media business editor and BRW editor-in-chief Sean Aylmer has been appointed editor-in-chief of the 'Sydney Morning Herald', following the resignation of Peter Fray this morning.

Darren Goodsir, currently editor of the smh.com.au website, replaces Amanda Wilson as editor. A replacement for ‘The Age’ editor-in-chief Paul Ramadge, who also announced his resignation today, will be named tomorrow.

The sudden change was not unexpected. In media diary of 'The Australian' today, Nick Leys wrote, "Newsrooms at those mastheads are full of talk about those three in particular, who were excluded from the restructure announcement and are understood to be excluded from those positions as the company 'transforms'."

Wilson, the paper’s first female editor, had already intimated that she would not stay is her position was downgraded. She told colleagues today how she noted the “glaring omission” of her own role when shown the editorial restructuring plan. Change is never easy, she says: “I know, because I've seen a lot of change in the 17 years I've been here. And in recent years as editor or Peter (Fray)'s deputy I've had to oversee some huge and really tough changes, and push through very big cuts to our resources.”

Peter Fray will leave the company on July 5, and says that while he doesn’t have a new job to go to, it was an “exciting opportunity” for him to see what more he could achieve in the profession he loved. "This is a collaborative industry and we are at our best when we work together toward a common goal,” he says.

Aylmer’s role also covers the Sunday ‘Sun-Herald’ newspaper. Appointed national business editor last November last year, he had worked for the Reserve Bank before joining Fairfax in 1997.