WSJ names Africa bureau chief

Wall Street Journal managing editor Robert Thomson sent out the following announcement on Thursday:

“I am delighted to announce that Peter Wonacott will become the Africa Bureau Chief for The Wall Street Journal, a new position that reflects the region’s increasing importance as a business and geopolitical story. His appointment signals the launch of an expanded reporting network on the continent, which has generally been under-covered by Western media.

“Peter is no stranger to emerging markets, having served as senior South Asia correspondent for Journal for the past four years. Prior to this post, he was in China for 11 years, having begun in journalism in 1994 as a stock market reporter for Dow Jones Newswires in Shenzhen. He later became Newswires China Bureau Chief in Beijing. In 1999, he joined the Journal in Hong Kong and reported on the former British colony’s integration with China. A Peter-of-all-trades, he has also taught English in Chongqing and served Peking Duck at a Chinese restaurant in Portland, OR.

“Peter will be moving to Johannesburg just in time for the frenzy of the World Cup — please don’t hassle him for match tickets. He will report to Rebecca Blumenstein. We wish him all the very best.”