Igor Smirnoff has been appointed digital vice president of NewspaperDirect, reflecting added responsibility for driving digital channel sales while continuing to establish strategic partnerships with technology leaders .

Based in Vancouver, Smirnoff was previously director of strategic development for the digital distribution company.

Smirnoff says NewspaerDirect has made tremendous progress “from a small print-on-demand company that organised distribution at selected international hotels, to a global, dynamic print and digital enterprise that is a locomotive for innovation in the publishing industry.

"Change is omnipresent and inevitable in this business; every technology innovation we introduce, every new market we open, or new partnership we forge, has an immediate and positive impact for the newspaper and magazine industry and individual publishers.

“These are exciting times and I am thrilled to be behind the wheel on this ride."