Eric Beecher's Private Media has lined up another former metro editor with the appointment of Peter Fray as editor-in-chief.

He will also be managing editor of Crikey, filling the space vacated by Bhakthi Puvanenthiran's departure to the ABC.

Both Beecher and Fray are former editors-in-chief of the Sydney Morning Herald. Beecher left to start Text Media in 1990, selling it to Fairfax ahead of his acquisition of Crikey in 2005.

Fray is a former deputy editor of The Australian and a professor of journalism practice at University of Technology Sydney. He will oversee editorial direction of Private Media's Crikey, The Mandarin and Smart Company, while taking a "hands-on" role at Crikey, running editorial operations, leading reporters, writers and editors, and working closely with the publisher and commercial team.

Welcoming him, Beecher described Fray as "one of the outstanding editors of his generation".

"He is passionate about journalism and wants to play a big part in shaping its future."