Mr Standage will focus on the newspaper's digital strategy and development of new products. Previously Mr Standage was digital editor and editor-in-chief of Economist.com. He joined The Economist as science correspondent in 1998 and was subsequently appointed technology editor, business editor and business affairs editor.
Recent audited figures show that digital circulation of The Economist has increased by 39% over the past six months and 77% over the previous year. With this trend likely to continue, members of The Economist Group’s GMC decided to appoint an individual with the skills needed to innovate and deliver The Economist’s journalism in ways that fully take advantage of technological developments, says the company.
Chris Stibbs, chief executive officer of The Economist Group said: “I am delighted that we have a person of Tom's calibre and industry status leading this area on behalf of the Group. The shift to digital and mobile consumption of content—written, audio and video—presents many opportunities for The Economist. These opportunities, whilst innovative and new will always work best when we capture the true essence of The Economist.”
Tom Standage said: “Readers trust The Economist to distill the news, spot global trends and advocate for change, and to deliver all of this in a compact and finishable form—the antidote to information overload. We’ve done it in print since 1843, and digital technologies now let us do it in new ways and on new platforms. I am delighted to be joining the GMC and helping to steer our strategy as we pursue the opportunities presented by this digital transformation.”
