Independent News & Media has announced the name of the two new editors taking charge of the Irish Independent and Sunday Independent newspapers.

Fionnan Sheahan, INM’s political editor, was named the editor of the daily Irish Independent, while that paper’s executive editor Cormac Bourke has become the editor of Ireland biggest-selling newspaper, the Sunday Independent.

Mr Bourke’s appointment will have surprised many, as the paper’s deputy editor Brendan O’Connor was considered a front runner for the position.

The new editors will now take up their positions immediately, working under INM’s editor-in-chief Stephen Rae.

Mr Rae said that he hoped the new appointments would “bring a fresh perspective to the titles and the delivery of content to our audiences.”

Congratulations to @cormacbourke who is the new Editor of the Sunday Independent. https://t.co/0V7yIJDfmq

— Independent.ie (@Independent_ie) January 9, 2015