Taking up his new position in spring 2014, Rich will succeed Sylvia Auton who retired in May after 36 years at the company.

Rich will report to Evelyn Webster, executive vice president of US parent Time Inc, who said: “Marcus is an extremely accomplished business leader, with a distinguished record of delivering strong growth. This, coupled with his deep experience in building new and innovative business opportunities, make him the ideal person to lead IPC as we accelerate our multi-platform strategy.”

Rich joined Associated Newspapers in February 2009 as managing director of The Mail on Sunday and deputy managing director of the Daily Mail before taking up his current role of commercial managing director, DMG Media, publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, Mailonline and Metro.

He said: “I’m incredibly excited about joining the UK’s leading multi-platform publisher and am very passionate about IPC’s brands in all their forms - in both the role they serve today and their potential in the future. 

“I’m looking forward to maximising the opportunities for the titles, the people and organisation to generate further success in the UK consumer media market.”

Meanwhile IPC has announced that it is to bring its classified ad production in-house after installing a new software system.