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The switch takes place on June 1, with Long moving to independent radio producer Somethin' Else as executive producer.

Jeffries launched Kerrang! 105.2FM in the West Midlands in June 2004 and has now been given the challenge of overseeing and developing programming at dance and urban music-focused Kiss across the UK on digital and analogue formats.

Kiss began life 20 years ago as a pirate radio station and is now a major London FM station as well as being nationally broadcast via DAB, cable, satellite, Freeview and online.

Kiss's national reach has declined year on year from 2.38m to 2.18m, although its share of listening remains at 1.2%. Its reach has also declined in London, from 1.47m to 1.29m, together with its share of listening, from 4.2% to 3.9%.

"The challenge now is to continue to secure Kiss' position as the number one youth radio brand and to continue introducing new and loyal listeners across the UK. We can do this by imaginative programming by day and the very best of specialist programming by night," Jeffries said.

He will report to Shaun Gregory, managing director of national radio brands.

"Andrew is one of the top radio programmers in the UK with a highly successful track record in youth radio. He has done an amazing job with Kerrang! 105.2 and in growing the national Kerrang! Radio network," he said.

Originally from New Zealand, Jeffries has held several senior roles in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Early in his career he spent nearly three years with the Capital Radio Group in roles including programming director for Southern FM in Brighton and programming director for Beat 106 in Scotland.

He spent then 18 months with the Chrysalis Radio Group, rising to the position of regional programme director for Galaxy 105 Yorkshire and Galaxy 102 Manchester. While at Galaxy 105, Andrew grew it into the biggest station outside London.

Prior to launching Kerrang! in the West Midlands, he launched Nova 937 in Perth.

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