Time taps Altman as executive editor

Time editor in chief Sam Jacobs sent the following note to staff on Tuesday:

Dear all,

I am thrilled to share three updates with you regarding our Washington coverage.

Alex Altman is being promoted to Executive Editor.

Across his career, Alex has reported from more than 30 states, served as a political correspondent on Capitol Hill, and traveled with presidential campaigns. He covered the protest movement that began in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014, and the arrival of Donald Trump in Washington. Alex first joined TIME in 2007 as an intern in the London bureau.

As deputy Washington Bureau chief and executive features editor, Alex has overseen award-winning work and guided high-impact coverage from Person of the Year profiles to election nights. He is an extraordinary editor of words and people, responsible for editing more than 100 cover stories throughout his career. In his new role, reporting to me, Alex will lead our ambitious enterprise coverage of politics, policy and national affairs, working with Charlotte Alter, Eric Cortellessa, and Simon Shuster. Alex and his family recently moved to San Francisco, and we will benefit from his position there as we cover the influence of Silicon Valley on all things.

Alex will also lead the search for a senior political correspondent to join his team as the 2028 presidential election begins to take shape.

Senior Editor Aman Batheja and Senior Correspondents Brian Bennett and Philip Elliott will join their Washington-based colleagues Annika Neklason and Nik Popli on our news team, reporting to Editorial Director Gemma Fox.

Working with Aman, Brian will lead our coverage of the White House and Phil will cover how decisions in Washington impact our readers. Together Aman, Brian and Phil have provided trusted guidance and led our round-the-clock coverage of Washington for many years for TIME. I’m excited for the opportunities that this new structure provides, bringing together experienced team members with our high-energy global news team. Gemma is adding to the News team this fall. Connor Greene starts as a reporting fellow in Washington this week and we plan to hire another fellow in London later this year, supporting our strategy for timely and relevant coverage across all platforms.

Sam