WSJ names Nixon its chief Euro commentator

Thorold Barker, the Wall Street Journal editor who oversees coverage of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, sent out the following staff promotion on Monday:

I am delighted to announce that Simon Nixon is appointed Chief European Commentator of the Wall Street Journal.

High quality commentary and analysis is an increasingly vital part of our business. This is particularly true in Europe, as our readers try to make sense of the region’s debt crisis which continues to threaten the global economy. In his new role, Simon will write two major columns a week for all digital and European platforms, with at least one per week appearing in the U.S. paper. He will write blog posts and develop new digital initiatives, while also playing a leading role in building awareness of the WSJ brand in Europe.

Simon is well-qualified for this role. Through his own writing and his leadership of the London-based Heard on the Street team, Simon has established himself over the past four years as an incisive analytical voice on European issues. His weekly Agenda column is well read among senior business and finance executives as well as policymakers across Europe. Earlier this year, Simon was the only journalist for an English language publication short-listed for the best commentator award in the inaugural European Press Prize.

Before joining The Wall Street Journal in 2008, Simon was executive editor of Breakingviews.com, now the financial commentary arm of Thomson Reuters. Before that, he was City editor of The Week and a founding editor of MoneyWeek, now the U.K.’s leading retail investor magazine. Simon spent the first five years of his career working in investment banking. He has a first class degree in History from Trinity College, Cambridge.

Please join me in congratulating Simon on his new role.