Manchester-based PR firm Smoking Gun has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of Carl Stroud as its new head of media.

Stroud will bring strong editorial experience to his new role, having spent a decade at The Sun, working in various roles for both its print and online platforms – culminating in website editor. He has since held a variety of PR and news consultancy roles.

As part of his new remit, Stroud will be entrusted with driving the newsmaking and story-telling functions alonsgide leading on media strategy.

“I’ve been a long-term admirer of the creativity, skill and flair that defines Smoking Gun. The nation’s newsrooms are going through a period of unprecedented change at the moment, and I look forward to navigating this new landscape to help the team deliver intelligent, disruptive and ingenious communications campaigns for our clients,” Stroud said.

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Smoking Gun managing director, Rick Guttridge added: “Earned media remains one of the key pillars in strategic communications, whether for reputation enhancement and protection, driving digital performance or brand building.

“Welcoming Carl on board is the latest step in a series of enhancements to our offering, all designed to help clients solve their business challenges.

Concluding, he said: “From being at the epicentre of many national conversations at The Sun, he brings with him an unrivalled newsmaking sense that will turbo-charge our earned media campaigns to ensure they stick in memories as well as search engines.”