Wall Street Journal economics editor Neil King sent out the following announcement on Friday:
In early 2007, when digital journalism was in its infancy, Phil Izzo emerged from deep within the Journal’s ranks to build a website that would bring WSJ-caliber analysis to the most important economic issues of the day.
Within weeks of its launch, Real Time Economics topped the bookmark lists of central bankers, finance ministers, PhD economists and Wall Street analysts. Within months, it was a must-read for everyday readers around the world. Phil was one of the original trailblazers in bringing economic news to the digital world, drawing legions of both admirers and imitators. He has done more than anyone to promote our team’s online storytelling, laboring early in the morning and late at night to dominate the field and grab readers in every time zone. He personally chronicled the most memorable moments of the recession and recovery, from the early stages of the credit crunch in 2007 through the global financial crisis and on to today’s persistent economic problems.
Phil, the longest-serving member of the WSJ’s current economics crew, will be moving up the Journal ranks in the coming months to take on exciting new challenges on the Hub (details to be announced later). Though he won’t be steering our ship daily, he has promised to help us expand RTE into an even more powerful force. He has already shaped our early expansion plans and will be working closely with his successor to take the site he built into a new era. And, yes, he has vowed to stick with us on jobs day.
We hope to toast Phil properly in person before he moves on to his next mission. Until then, we hope you’ll join us in expressing our sincere gratitude to Phil for all he has done for us, for RTE and for the world of economics.
