Slade, FT journalist for 29 years, dies at 61

Andrew Slade, a Financial Times news editor who worked at the publication for 29 year, has died at the age of 61.

Hugh Carnegy of the FT writes, “He joined the FT as a sub in 1990. He had ambitions to become a defence correspondent, but it was Slade’s skills as an editor and his understanding of corporate affairs that saw him rise to become head of the International Companies desk, Financial News Editor and News Editor of FT.com. In the latter job, he played an important role in helping the FT shift from a traditional printer of newspapers to 24-hour digital publishing.

“The relationship between reporters and editors can be testy, but Slade had a knack for seeming supportive, even when surgery on the copy was required. Writers respected his deep knowledge of the corporate world (he anchored much of the FT’s coverage of the Enron scandal) and responded to his wry humour. He was greatly valued by young reporters for his tips and advice.

“Barney Jopson, now a seasoned FT correspondent, recalled that Slade once cut a string of Morgan Stanley analyst comments out of an IPO story he had written as a rookie reporter. ‘He gently explained to me that their gushing exuberance was perhaps related to the fact that Morgan Stanley was underwriting the float. I never forgot the lesson.'”

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