Robert Whitehead has been named to lead Fairfax Media’s metro mastheads into the paid content era.

His new role as head of marketing for the metro media division also embraces the switch to tabloid next March, of the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ and ‘The Age’.

A former ‘Herald’ editor – and former PANPA president – Whitehead will be responsible for all consumer marketing including brand, promotion, sponsorship, subscriptions acquisition, retention and communication.

Metro media chief executive Jack Matthews says creation of the new group will secure the marketing skills and resources needed. The division’s trade marketing unit will still be led by Chelsea Wymer.