Alan Murray named editor of Fortune

Alan Murray has been named editor of Fortune, it was announced Tuesday.

Murray will be the 17^th editor since Fortune was founded in 1930 by Henry R. Luce. He will oversee one of the world’s leading business publications, websites, and conference businesses, with more than 13 million readers worldwide in print, online, mobile and social media.

He succeeds Andy Serwer, who is leaving the company. His first day will be Aug. 25.

“Alan’s diverse background uniquely positions him to lead Fortune,” Time Inc. executive vice president Todd Larsen said in a statement. “He is a digital champion and media visionary who can bridge every aspect of our business, moving effortlessly from the newsroom to the boardroom to television to conference stage.”

“Fortune is one of the great brands of American journalism,” Murray said in a statement, “and my experience has convinced me great brands can not just survive, but thrive in the new media world.  I’m humbled to be following in the footsteps of the likes of Andy Serwer, John Huey and Marshall Loeb, and I look forward to leading Fortune into an exciting new future.”

Murray joins Fortune having served as president of the Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C., which he joined in November 2012. At Pew, Murray oversaw a rapid expansion of the research center’s digital footprint, with web site traffic doubling and social media referrals tripling during his time there.

He also led the center into an exploration of new data methodologies in its research and an expansion of its global work. Murray’s op-ed for the Wall Street Journal on the Center’s 11^th annual state of the media, “Seven Reasons for Optimism About the News Business” can be read here: http://on.wsj.com/1hsos2G

Murray is a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate. He also worked at The Wall Street Journal and CNBC. He was deputy managing editor at The Journal and oversaw its online operation.