Will Lewis, the publisher and chief executive of the Washington Post, has abruptly resigned, just three days after the newspaper laid off nearly one-third of its staff. His departure was announced in an email to staff on Saturday evening, in which he thanked owner Jeff Bezos for his support during his tenure.
The layoffs, which affected more than 300 journalists, were among the largest in American media history. Lewis faced criticism for not attending the all-staff meeting where the cuts were announced. In his resignation email, he acknowledged that difficult decisions had been taken to ensure the Post's sustainable future, allowing it to continue publishing high-quality, nonpartisan news.
Jeff D'Onofrio, who joined the Post as chief financial officer in June, will serve as acting publisher and chief executive. In a memo to staff, he said he was honoured to take the helm and lead the organisation into a sustainable future, with journalism as its guiding principle.
Bezos, who has owned the Post since 2013, issued a statement praising the new leadership team without addressing Lewis's tenure. He said the Post had an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity, adding that D'Onofrio, executive editor Matt Murray and opinion editor Adam O'Neal were positioned to lead the paper into an exciting next chapter.
Lewis, 56, previously spent six years as chief executive and publisher of the Wall Street Journal. He began his career at the Financial Times and later edited the Telegraph. His departure was welcomed by some current and former Post journalists, who had criticised his leadership during a period of significant upheaval.
