<i>WSJ</i> Appoints Two New Top Editors

Wall Street Journal editor Robert Thomson sent two memos to staff today announcing the appointments of two top editors at the U.S. and Asia editions of the financial paper. Deborah Brewster, formerly of the Financial Times will take the position of deputy managing editor of the Journal early next month, Thomson said. "She played a key role in the rapid expansion of the US Edition of the Financial Times, where she was instrumental in developing FT.com, created the successful Global Investing section, and [was] largely responsible for ensuring that the FT had a talented and diverse staff," Thomson added. Brewster will be in charge of training and hiring programs for the Journal and will oversee the graphics department. Over the course of her 20-year business journalism career she worked for Australian pubs The Australian and The Age before joining FT in 1999. Thomson today also announced the appointment of Almar Latour as editor-in-chief, Asia, for the Journal. Latour has a long history with the paper and most recently worked with deputy managing editor Alan Murray to develop WSJ.com, Thomson said. In his new role, Latour will over see the print version of the Journal in Asia (which recently expanded to India) and work on expanding the paper's digital presence there. Since the Journal has made it a priority to increase its reach in the growing Asian market, Latour will have his work cut out for him. "Our Chinese-language site has quadrupled its audience over the past 18 months, while our Japanese-language site is due to be launched in the autumn and we are in the midst of developing new editorial content for mobile phones in India," Thomson explained. Full memos after the jump From: Thomson, Robert Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 1:16 PM Subject: senior appointment Dear All, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Deborah Brewster as Deputy Managing Editor of The Wall Street Journal. Deborah will combine many of the functions performed so admirably by Cathy Panagoulias and Reg Chua, driving our training and hiring programs, and overseeing the graphics department. She played a key role in the rapid expansion of the US Edition of the Financial Times, where she was instrumental in developing FT.com, created the successful Global Investing section, and largely responsible for ensuring that the FT had a talented and diverse staff. Deborah was born in Indonesia, and raised in India and the Philippines. She has had a 20-year career in business journalism, having been the Communications Correspondent at The Australian in Sydney and Business Editor of The Age in Melbourne, where she also oversaw weekly sections on property, personal finance and IT. She joined the Financial Times in 1999 and was extremely influential during a period in which the US circulation of that paper trebled within a few years. Deborah will assume her new responsibilities in early July. Robert. From: Thomson, Robert Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 3:04 PM Subject: Almar in Asia Dear All, I am delighted to announce that Almar Latour is to be Editor-in-Chief, Asia, for The Wall Street Journal. Almar has done an extraordinary job in developing WSJ.com over the past two years - Alan Murray, Almar and the team have created what is, by far, the fastest growing business site in the known world, having recorded 160 per cent expansion in visitors over the past year. Almar will be responsible for the print edition of the Journal in Asia and for developing our digital presence in the region. Our Chinese-language site has quadrupled its audience over the past 18 months, while our Japanese-language site is due to be launched in the autumn and we are in the midst of developing new editorial content for mobile phones in India. Almar previously worked as a staff reporter in New York covering telcos and as a foreign correspondent in London, Stockholm and Brussels, having begun his career in the time-honored manner as a news assistant in Washington. We are ambitious in Asia and there is no person better qualified to realize that ambition than Almar, who will report directly to me. Please wish join me in wishing him well and make time to share a convivial cup of tea or a calming ale with Almar before he leaves our shores later this summer. Robert.

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WSJ Appoints Two New Top Editors

Amanda Ernst

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Amanda Ernst