Forbes taps Kroll to be executive editor

Forbes chief content officer Randall Lane announced Wednesday that Luisa Kroll has been appointed to the position of executive editor, a newly created role in which she will help lead in-depth news and feature coverage while also spearheading new editorial initiatives across Forbes platforms.

A 23-year Forbes veteran, Kroll previously served as assistant managing editor, wealth. Over the last two decades, she’s chronicled the world’s billionaires, first as a reporter and later as an editor overseeing all Forbes wealth lists, including the signature Billionaires and Forbes 400 franchises. She helped introduce and edit the lists of the richest in Asian countries from 2004-2010 and, a few years later in 2014, created the list of America’s Most Successful Self-Made Women.

Throughout, she’s overseen high-profile pieces about America’s most-successful women entrepreneurs, including Kylie Jenner and makeup mogul Jamie Kern Lima, and has written numerous features about entrepreneurs/small-business owners and billionaires worldwide.

“Forbes’ journalism reaches more people today than at any point in our brand’s history, and Luisa’s leadership is fundamental to the world-class coverage we produce every day,” Lane said in a statement. “Luisa’s career here at Forbes is defined by the innovations in storytelling and engagement she’s brought to each project. Under her direction, and in partnership with Kerry Dolan, our wealth coverage now consistently tells the untold stories of the entrepreneurs and billionaires who have made it, while also shining a spotlight on those who are creating change through philanthropy and areas like impact investing.”

“I’ve been so lucky to work with incredibly talented journalists and editors at Forbes over the years,” Kroll said. “As I take on this new role, I’m excited to look for new ways to support our team and sharpen our editorial coverage, by further applying Forbes’ unique lens to the conversation around capitalism and free-enterprise, which has never been more important than it is now.”

In announcing Kroll’s new role, Lane also announced the promotion of Chase Peterson-Withorn to deputy editor, Wealth. He will join Jennifer Wang, who is currently the deputy editor, wealth. Peterson-Withorn will be responsible for domestic wealth coverage, while Wang will be responsible for international. Both Peterson-Withorn and Wang will report to Kerry Dolan, assistant managing editor.

Kroll joined Forbes in 1996 as a reporter and was rapidly promoted throughout the years, first as an associate editor in 2000, then senior editor in 2007 and assistant managing editor, wealth in 2014. Over the years, she’s worked with, mentored and edited numerous staff reporters.

“Luisa is a supremely gifted longstanding editor and she’ll bring a fresh perspective to all of our coverage areas,” Lane said.