WSJ’s “Heard on the Street” editor gets promotion

Francesco Guerrera, the Money & Investing editor at The Wall Street Journal, and deputy managing editor Matt Murray sent out the following staff promotion on Wednesday:

We’re delighted to announce that Thorold Barker, editor of Heard on the Street, has been promoted to senior editor, a title reflective of his remarkable work in revamping and elevating the Heard and his own growing influence on coverage and reporting priorities across Dow Jones.

It’s worth reflecting for a moment on what Thorold has achieved with the Heard. Four years ago, it had a staff of two which produced a single daily story for Money & Investing focused on stock-picking. Today, Thorold has built a staff of 16 talented reporters around the world that produces at least a half-dozen thoroughly reported pieces a day covering a wide range of business, markets and macroeconomic issues across the Journal’s three global editions, DJN and on the Web. He also oversees the Ahead of the Tape column.

The Heard is consistently among the best-read features in the paper and among online subscribers, and has become a significant source of analysis and insight around the world on issues such as Europe’s debt, soaring tech valuations, commodities, bank woes and Chinese economics and politics. It has even scored big scoops: Reporter John Jannarone‘s shoe-leather reporting on accounting questions at Diamond Foods raised serious questions about an extra payment made to the farmers by the company just after a quarter ended, leading eventually to a federal probe, the ouster of senior managers and the collapse of a planned acquisition of Pringles from Procter & Gamble.

Thorold stands for deep financial numeracy, objective and forward-thinking analysis and heavy-duty reporting — true financial intelligence, in other words, of the kind from which we all can learn. This is why Thorold and his team are a crucial part of the Journal franchise and of Dow Jones’s expanding global reach, and serve as a model and resource for all of us.

Please join us in congratulating Thorold on his promotion.