Ian Clark, the former News UK director who ran short-lived free sheet thelondonpaper, has been hired as group chief executive of over-50s online community High50.

The move will see Clark rejoin ex-colleague Stefano Hatfield, former editor of thelondonpaper and ex-editorial director at the struggling London Live TV station, who took the role of editor-in-chief at High50 in May.

In the newly-created position, Clark will be responsible for running a new holding company encompassing the e-commerce and publishing operations of High50 in the US and UK, as well as marketing services firm Beta.

Clark joins High50 after a 14-month stint as chief executive of ad agency Naked Communications.

“As media, creativity and technology converge, Ian’s formidable breadth of experience makes him perfect to lead the charge,” said High50 co-founder Robert Campbell.

In May, High50 received more than £1.5m in funding from Windward Prospects, which is led by Gerard Barron, the founder and former chief executive of Adstream.

High50’s other co-founder is James Burrows, who launched early internet firm Espotting with Seb Bishop.