News International renamed News UK

News International has today announced that the company is changing its name to News UK.

The news comes as the News International brand has sought to limit the damage to its reputation following the phone hacking scandal.

Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks is currently among a number of ex-staff facing charges over the scandal that saw the closure of The News of the World in 2011.

More recently, NI has made editorial changes to some of its other key titles, including the Times and the Sun.

In a statement released on its new website on Monday, the company said the rebrand follows changes of governance and personnel that have taken place “to address the problems of the recent past.”

The new name and logo, which come into immediate effect, are designed to convey “a more coherent and logical identity for the new parent company across the globe,” the company said.

News Limited in Australia is taking similar steps, as both companies become part of new News Corp which will be incorporated on the NASDAQ on Friday.

“This is an exciting time and I feel privileged to be leading News UK as it begins a bright new chapter,” said Mike Darcey, CEO of News UK.

“With new people and a new strategy, we will take our place within a new company determined to secure a sustainable future for professional journalism around the globe.

“In the UK that means building on The Sun’s success as the most popular paper and maintaining The Times and The Sunday Times as two of the most trusted news brands in the world. This is the platform from which we will continue to entertain and inform our readers, but also challenge the world around us, using our voice to bring about positive change and hold powerful and vested interests to account.”