The Financial Times announced key senior newsroom moves on Friday.
Tom Braithwaite has been appointed deputy editor, succeeding Patrick Jenkins, who will move to a new senior writing role. Alex Barker succeeds Braithwaite as news editor.
Helen Thomas expands her role as companies editor to include responsibility for newsroom development.
Following six years as deputy editor, Jenkins will move to a columnist role covering major themes and personalities in global business and finance, as well as penning the FT’s Monday interview. He was previously banking editor and companies editor.
Braithwaite has led the FT’s newsroom for the last three years, covering a fast-moving agenda including global conflict, political change and the rapid growth of AI, breaking major stories and delivering original reporting. Having held newsroom positions in San Francisco, New York, Washington and Paris, Braithwaite also brings a deep understanding of the FT’s international audience to the role of deputy editor.
Barker steps into the news editor role following three years as world news editor. He was previously media editor and Brussels bureau chief. Barker has played a leading role in the FT’s coverage of many of the defining stories of recent years and has pioneered new approaches to collaboration across data, visual and newsroom teams.
Thomas has been appointed head of newsroom development, a newly created role that will expand her current position as companies editor. She will lead efforts to strengthen career development and talent progression across the newsroom. She was previously head of the FT’s flagship Lex column.
In a note announcing the changes to her leadership team, FT editor Roula Khalaf also highlighted a broader evolution of the FT’s reach and engagement teams.
Assistant editor Veronica Kan-Dapaah has seen her role expanded recently to head of digital strategy, supported by Matt Payton as head of audience growth and Flo Phillips as head of audio. In addition, Hannah Sarney is now leading subscriber engagement strategy, while Sam Joiner has been appointed the FT’s editorial creative director.
