News Corp announced today the appointment of Almar Latour as the new Chief Executive Officer of Dow Jones and Publisher of The Wall Street Journal.
Mr. Latour, who is currently Publisher for Barron’s Group and Executive Vice President at Dow Jones, will assume the post with the departure of William Lewis, effective May 15. The Barron’s Group portfolio includes Barron’s, MarketWatch, Dow Jones Wealth and Asset Management group, Mansion Global and Financial News.
Dow Jones, a leading global provider of news and business information, has been notably successful in the digital growth of its businesses, including the Journal, Barron’s and MarketWatch, among others martech news.
Dow Jones digital-only subscribers grew 17% year-over-year as of the end of 2019, and total consumer subscriptions achieved a record 3.5 million in February. The Journal crossed the 2 million digital subscriber mark in February, and Barron’s subscribers also hit a record.
Dow Jones Professional Information Business has also been setting records in recent years, with its Risk & Compliance product experiencing over 20% revenue growth for 12 straight quarters through the end of 2019.
“Almar Latour is patently well-equipped to helm the world’s pre-eminent journalism, business analysis and professional content company,” said Robert Thomson, Chief Executive of News Corp. “Over nearly a quarter century at The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones, Almar has ascended from roles as a news assistant and staff reporter, becoming a bureau chief and managing editor, and more recently serving as an editor-in-chief, executive editor and publisher. He has shown distinguished leadership, editorially and commercially, and brings a deep understanding of digital challenges and opportunities. Almar is a worthy successor to Will Lewis, from whom he will inherit a wonderfully talented team and a business that is exceeding records for digital subscriptions quarter-after-quarter. The Professional Information Business has also been revivified and is now a formidable engine for robust growth.”
“I’d like to thank Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch and Robert Thomson for their trust — and for their deep and continued support for and investment in quality journalism and the national and international institution that is Dow Jones,” said Mr. Latour. “Our role is more important than ever before. Our millions of readers and users in the U.S. and beyond are all faced with uncertainty in time ahead and our unique brand of factual news and analysis serves to help them make decisions in business, finance and personal life. Will Lewis and the team have left Dow Jones in great shape. We are well positioned to take The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, MarketWatch, Newswires, Factiva and our other brands to more people everywhere and continue — and accelerate — our growth. As always, our mission is to help people put the truth to good ends.”