Serwer named new ME for Fortune

Andy Serwer, who has been an editor at large, has been named managing editor of Fortune, according to a news release issued by parent company Time Inc. and obtained by Talking Biz News.

Serwer, 47, succeeds Eric Pooley, who will work with Time’s editor in chief John Huey and managing editor Jim Kelly on investigative projects. The appointment is effective immediately.

“No matter what project Andy takes on, he handles it with intelligence, wit and energy,â€? Huey said in the release. “It is also safe to say that no journalist knows today’s business story better than Andy Serwer. I am confident that he will bring his knowledge of both the story and the multimedia landscape to the helm of Fortune in exciting ways that will work to its great advantage in the future.â€?

“I really am thrilled to be running a magazine with such a rich history and such a bright future,â€? Serwer said. “I look forward to working with my longstanding colleagues – the best business journalists on the planet. We’re going to have a blast.â€?

As editor-at-large at Fortune since 1998, Serwer writes the “Street Life� column as well as stories about the personalities and behind-the-scenes action on Wall Street. His work has ranged from his provocative column in every issue to major cover stories on everything from the young Michael Dell to Michael Price (“The Toughest S.O.B. on Wall Street�) to the business of the Rolling Stones to the first look inside the financial and philanthropic workings of America’s richest family, the Waltons.

In addition to his magazine work, Andy became one of the industry’s first internet stars nine years ago with his daily market round-up on Fortune.com, also called “Street Life,” that has more than 50,000 e-mail subscribers. He has also been the very successful business anchor of CNN’s American Morning news show. He will continue to have an on-air presence on CNN.

Serwer joined Fortune in 1985 as an intern from the Columbia Journalism School, and was later promoted to associate editor. He quickly went on to become one of its most insightful, popular and productive writers. In addition to covering Wall Street, investing, information technology, and entertainment for the magazine, Serwer has also edited and written the front of the book section of Fortune, which includes breaking news and features focusing on business personalities, media, and technology.

Gawker writes that Serwer’s appointment shocked “anyone with a stake in the matter, apparently — an inside source dismisses his work as ‘stock chit-chat stuff, pretty shallow.'” It also quotes Huey’s internal e-mail explaining the appointment: “We all know that the world of business journalism has increasingly become a multi-media proposition, involving not only the magazine but its brand representations on the internet, on television and radio, wherever the reader wants his or her information. And no one is more qualified to lead FORTUNE on those multiple fields of battle than Andy.”