Billboard executive editor Bill Werde has been named the magazine’s new editorial director.

In his new role, Werde will oversee the brand’s staff of editors and reporters worldwide.  He replaces Tamara Conniff, who is leaving to become president of music services for Irving Azoff’s Front Line Management Group.

Before joining Billboard in 2005 as senior news editor, Werde was an associate editor at Rolling Stone.  He was promoted to deputy editor of Billboard in 2006, before being promoted to executive editor last year.

Full disclosure: Billboard is owned by Nielsen.