New editor for WSJ Asia named

Wall Street Journal managing editor Robert Thomson sent out the following announcement to the staff on Tuesday:

“I am delighted to announce that Almar Latour is to be Editor-in-Chief, Asia, for The Wall Street Journal. Almar has done an extraordinary job in developing WSJ.com over the past two years — Alan Murray, Almar and the team have created what is, by far, the fastest growing business site in the known world, having recorded 160 per cent expansion in visitors over the past year.  Almar will be responsible for the print edition of the Journal in Asia and for developing our digital presence in the region. Our Chinese-language site has quadrupled its audience over the past 18 months, while our Japanese-language site is due to be launched in the autumn and we are in the midst of developing new editorial content for mobile phones in India.

“Almar previously worked as a staff reporter in New York covering telcos and as a foreign correspondent in London, Stockholm and Brussels, having begun his career in the time-honored manner as a news assistant in Washington. We are ambitious in Asia and there is no person better qualified to realize that ambition than Almar, who will report directly to me.   Please wish join me in wishing him well and make time to share a convivial cup of tea or a calming ale with Almar before he leaves our shores later this summer.”

Latour had been managing editor of the WSJ.com operations. The Wall Street Journal Asia was founded in 1976 and has a total circulation of 80,090. The editor position for the Asia edition is a new one.

(Photo by Loek Essers.)